Family Business Scale-ups: Breaking Barriers to Growth
The challenges to growing and scaling family businesses
Three in ten highlight the need for easier access to the British Business Bank and the Devolved National Banks, peer networks and local mentors, flexible management and leadership development programmes and UK Export Finance and other initiatives supporting overseas expansion. These needs align closely with FBUK’s Policy Agenda, 13 which emphasises funding and skills development to enable international growth, alongside support for innovation and adopting new technologies. The private sector also has a role to play. Five in ten scaling and mid-market family businesses are seeking greater support from banks, financiers and professional services, while three in ten view local universities and large corporates as important partners. As part of their growth journey – and to help them navigate support more effectively – four in ten mid-market and scaling family businesses would value a relationship manager who can act as a single point of contact . Six in ten are also willing to be identified on public records and have their status as mid-market or scaling family businesses shared on an opt-in basis, enabling more targeted support.
Figure 21: What would mid-sized family firms and scale-ups like easier access to?
BUSINESSES WOULD LIKE EASIER LOCAL ACCESS TO:
innovate UK and UKRI schemes 5 in 10 British business bank / devolved national banks 3 in 10
programmes to access domestic markets / supply chains / procurement 4 in 10 UK export finance and programmes to expand overseas export 3 in 10
peer networks / local mentors 3 in 10 flexible management/ leadership development programmes 3 in 10
KEY ENABLERS ARE:
banks / financiers 5 in 10
5 in 10 3 in 10 3 in 10
professional services
universities
large corporates
BUSINESSES WOULD LIKE EASIER LOCAL ACCESS TO:
4 in 10
6 in 10
they would like a single point of contact to act as a relationship manager for them
they are happy to be Identified on a public record on an opt-in basis
13 Family Business UK: Policy Agenda, Building Britain for Generations. At the end of January 2026, Family Business UK surveyed more than 550 family firms of which 323 were in the mid-market.
SURVEY RESPONDERS: 468 SCALEUPS OR MID-MARKET FAMILY BUSINESSES
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