HOW TO HIRE · BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a startup adviser in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
No licence applies to startup advisers. Here is what must come from regulated firms, how to handle equity, and free help to check first.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a startup adviser in five steps
- Check free support firstStart Up Loan applicants get free help with a business plan and, if successful, free mentoring.
- Ask what the adviser has built or backedBusinesses they have helped and what happened.
- Agree fees or equity in writingHourly, package or a share of the company, never a handshake.
- Keep regulated advice regulatedInvestment advice needs an FCA-authorised firm.
- Protect your ideaConfidentiality before sharing the details.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
No law licenses startup advisers or mentors in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Look at founders they have helped, references and the written terms.
Ask the startup adviser for two founders you can contact.
Investment advice and the FCA
Regulated financial advice must come from an FCA-authorised firm or its appointed representative. Help with a pitch is fine; advice on investing in or selling shares to the public is regulated.
If the adviser recommends investments or arranges deals, check the firm on the FCA register. fca.org.uk →
Start Up Loans support
The government-backed Start Up Loans scheme includes free help with a business plan for applicants, and mentoring for up to a year for those who are approved, according to gov.uk.
Check whether you qualify before paying for help with a loan application. gov.uk →
Off-payroll working (IR35)
A startup adviser working through their own company may come under HMRC's off-payroll rules, depending on the work and your size.
Ask how the adviser is engaged. gov.uk →
VAT
Startup advice is standard-rated, so a registered startup adviser adds 20% to the hourly rate or package price. Registration becomes compulsory once a startup adviser 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 startup adviser for the VAT number with the agreement and for the fee and VAT shown separately. gov.uk →
A good answer: Named businesses, honest outcomes, and a founder reference.
A good answer: A clear answer, with any equity terms in writing.
A good answer: No, unless the startup adviser's firm is FCA-authorised; good advisers point you to one.
A good answer: Topics, number of sessions and what you get between them.
A good answer: Yes, before you share the detail of the idea.
A good answer: Start Up Loans and local business support, mentioned without prompting.
A good answer: Both stated.
Getting the quote right
- Hourly rate or package price
- Who actually attends the sessions: the startup adviser named, or an associate they subcontract
- Equity terms, if any, in a written agreement
- Sessions included and support in between
- Confidentiality agreement
- What the adviser will not do (regulated advice)
- The VAT number, and VAT at 20% on the package or hourly fee
Walk away if
- Wants equity with no written terms
- Offers investment advice without FCA authorisation
- Promises investors
- Charges for help you could get free
- No confidentiality
- Pressure to sign a long package
What a startup adviser costs: £80–£250 per hour
Startup advisers charge by the hour or sell monthly packages; some take equity instead of part of the fee. Startup Advisor 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
Startup advisers 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, or book by the hour.
- Idea reviewThe idea, customers and business model tested.
- PlanPriorities for the first months set.
- Funding guidanceLoans, grants and investment explained.
- Check-insRegular sessions on progress.
- Wrap-upNext steps and handover.
- Equity
- A share of ownership in the company.
- Start Up Loan
- A government-backed personal loan for new businesses, with free support.
- Business model
- How the business makes money.
- Validation
- Testing that customers want the product.
- Runway
- How long the cash will last.
- Pitch deck
- A short presentation for investors.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a startup adviser: questions people ask
No licence, register or qualification applies in any UK nation.
Only if their firm is FCA-authorised; otherwise go to an authorised adviser.
Yes: the Start Up Loans scheme gives applicants free business plan support, and approved borrowers free mentoring.
Roughly £80–£250 per hour, typically £150. The adviser's background, funding work and packages or hourly booking set the price. The startup adviser price guide shows what sits behind each figure; type your town above to find startup advisers in your area.
Only on written terms you understand, ideally after independent advice.
Single sessions of one to two hours, or monthly packages.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in business & professional
Startup advisers near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- FCA — how to check a firm or individual is authorised
- gov.uk — apply for a Start Up Loan
- gov.uk — understanding off-payroll working (IR35)
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
- Citizens Advice — more help with a consumer issue
- gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
- VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
- GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register