HOW TO HIRE · BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL

How to hire a business plan writer in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No licence applies to business plan writers. Check free help first, and make sure the forecasts are sound.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a business plan writer in five steps

  1. Ask the lender what format it wantsA template, a length and the forecasts it expects.
  2. Check free supportStart Up Loan applicants get free help writing a plan.
  3. Ask who builds the forecastsAnd whether they have accounting or funding experience.
  4. Agree revisions and ownershipRounds of changes, and that the plan is yours.
  5. Supply real figuresThe plan is only as good as the numbers behind it.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No law licenses business plan writers in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Samples, references and who prepares the forecasts are what count.

Ask the business plan writer for anonymised sample plans and a client reference.

Free help for Start Up Loan applicants

Under the government-backed Start Up Loans scheme, applicants are offered free guidance on writing their plan, as gov.uk explains.

If you are applying for a Start Up Loan, use the free support before paying a writer. gov.uk →

Ownership of the plan

A business plan is a literary work. Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 the writer owns it unless it is assigned to you in a signed document.

Ask for copyright in the plan and forecasts to be assigned to you on payment. legislation.gov.uk →

Honest figures and confidentiality

Lenders and investors rely on the plan. Data protection rules, enforced by the ICO, apply to any personal data in it, and confidentiality should be agreed in writing.

Check every figure yourself and agree confidentiality with the writer. gov.uk →

VAT

Writing a business plan is standard-rated, so a registered business plan writer adds 20% to the plan fee, the forecasts and any market research charged on top. Registration becomes compulsory once a business plan writer has VAT-taxable turnover over £90,000 in any rolling 12 months; from then VAT must be charged and shown as a separate line on the invoice.

Ask the business plan writer for the VAT number before paying and for the plan fee and VAT on separate lines. gov.uk →

“What format does my lender or investor need for the business plan?”

A good answer: A writer who asks you this before quoting.

“Who prepares the financial forecasts in the plan?”

A good answer: A named person with accounting or funding experience.

“How many revisions are included?”

A good answer: A number and the cost of more.

“Will the business plan be assigned to me?”

A good answer: Yes, in writing on payment.

“What will you need from me?”

A good answer: Figures, market information and your goals, with a deadline.

“Will you keep my plan confidential?”

A good answer: Yes, in writing.

“How long will the business plan take?”

A good answer: A date, from days for a short plan to weeks for an investor plan.

Getting the quote right

  • Plan length and sections
  • Who actually attends to the plan and the forecasts: the business plan writer named, or a subcontracted analyst
  • Financial forecasts: profit and loss, cash flow, break-even
  • Market research included or extra
  • Revision rounds
  • Ownership and confidentiality
  • The VAT number, with VAT at 20% on the plan and forecasts

Walk away if

  • Invents market figures
  • Forecasts with no explanation of assumptions
  • Charges for help that would be free
  • A template plan with your name added
  • No revisions
  • Promises the loan will be approved
LOW
£150
TYPICAL
£499
HIGH
£3,500

What a business plan writer costs: £150–£3,500 per plan

Business plan writers usually charge a fixed price per plan, set by length, forecasts and research. Business Plan Writer price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Business plan writers near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. DiscoveryThe business, goals and readers of the plan discussed.
  2. ResearchMarket and competitor information gathered.
  3. DraftSections written: summary, market, operations, marketing, team.
  4. ForecastsProfit and loss, cash flow and break-even built.
  5. RevisionsChanges made and the final plan signed off.

Executive summary
The short overview at the front of the plan.
Cash flow forecast
Expected money in and out, month by month.
Break-even
The point where income covers costs.
Assumptions
The figures the forecasts are built on.
Start Up Loan
A government-backed loan with free plan support.
Investor-ready
A plan detailed enough for equity investors.

AFTER

When the job is done

Check every numberForecasts, prices and market sizes against your own evidence.
Keep the forecast spreadsheetSo you can update it yourself.
Update the planAs the business changes.
Write the reviewReviews on Locufy can only follow a booking, so the business plan writer is judged on real work. If something is wrong, the make-it-right step comes first and they are asked to fix it before the review is published.

STEP 1Complain to the business plan writer directlyKeep it factual: what the business plan writer agreed to do, what you got, and what you want now. Section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 builds reasonable care and skill into every trader's service; if it was missing, ask for a repeat of the work or a reduction.
STEP 2Bring in LocufyScore the business plan writer below four stars and you choose whether they see the problem before the review goes up. We follow it through; then you review.
STEP 3Where to report itBecause business plan writers have no regulator, a dispute with the business plan writer goes to consumer advice: Citizens Advice (0808 223 1133) in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland (0808 800 9060), Consumerline (0300 123 6262) in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Small claims, as the last stepYou can sue the business plan writer for the money without a lawyer: small claims up to £10,000 in England and Wales, simple procedure up to £5,000 in Scotland, small claims up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a business plan writer: questions people ask

No licence or registration is needed in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and no qualification is set by law.

The writer, unless copyright is assigned to you in a signed document.

The Start Up Loans scheme offers applicants free help with the plan.

£150 to £3,500 per plan, around £499 for a typical job. Purpose, forecasts, length and research set the price; investor plans cost most. The business plan writer price guide explains what moves it; enter your town above to see business plan writers near you.

Someone who understands accounts; ask who prepares them and how.

From two days for a short plan to four weeks for a detailed investor plan.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in business & professional

How to hire: Startup AdvisorHow to hire: Business ConsultantHow to hire: Grant & Bid WriterHow to hire: Market ResearchHow to hire: AccountantHow to hire: Company Formation ServiceHow to hire: Management ConsultantHow to hire: Proofreading ServiceAll 701 hiring guides →

Business plan writers near you

Business plan writers in LondonBusiness plan writers in ManchesterBusiness plan writers in BirminghamBusiness plan writers in GlasgowBusiness plan writers in BelfastAll business plan writers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. gov.uk — apply for a Start Up Loan
  2. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, section 90 — assignment in writing
  3. gov.uk — data protection and your business
  4. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  5. Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue
  6. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  7. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  8. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register