The Minister for Small Business backs FUEL Roadshow to tackle the UKs access to finance challenge

The UK Government’s Minister for Small Business has pledged his support to a national business roadshow launching in Newcastle that will help thousands of SMEs find the right advice and become ‘investor and funding ready’. 

Blair McDougall MP and the Department for Business and Trade are backing FUEL, a series of dedicated business-focused events being delivered by funding solutions specialists, UMi, to help overcome the challenges faced by UK SMEs when trying to access finance to launch or grow. 

FUEL will officially open in Newcastle upon Tyne on Tuesday 17 March, kick-starting six more regionally focused events during 2026. From Edinburgh in the north to the South East of England, each location is expected to attract more than 250 local business owners, bringing visitors face to face with national funders, investors and advisers. 

The Newcastle launch, at the Grand Hotel, will help North East companies identify what type of funding is right for them (and when), how they can reach funding and investor-ready status, and discover who is actively looking to back businesses similar to their own. Over 250 appointments are also scheduled for attendees and pre-matched funders to directly discuss support for individual commercial requirements.  

Blair McDougall MP, Minister for Small Business, commented: “Small businesses are the backbone of the economy in the North East with 170,000 of them employing over half a million workers1. However, too many still lack the finance to unlock their full potential to create jobs, opportunities, and growth. 

“This is why we are increasing access to finance across the UK through the British Business Bank, and why roadshows like these are so important, providing businesses with the right knowledge, guidance, and expertise they need to grow.”  

Since 2007, UMi has supported ambitious UK businesses including start-ups, scale-ups and larger, established companies, and has unlocked £1bn of investment from grants and loans to private sector investment. The FUEL roadshow underpins the organisation’s continuous commitment to helping the nation’s businesses do more and go further, and is being backed by major partners including NatWest, Purbeck Personal Guarantee Insurance, CO4CH, Scottish Enterprise, CBI and British Business Bank, alongside regional partners FW Capital.