Free one-page business plan template
A one-page business plan puts the whole business on a single page: what you do, who you serve, how you make money, the team, the headline numbers, and, if you are raising finance, the ask and how it gets repaid. It beats a 40-page document nobody reads. Download the free template below, or copy it; no email required.
Quick Reference
Direct Answer
A one-page business plan states, on a single page, nine things: the business in one line, the problem solved, the offer and price, the market and how you reach it, the competition and your edge, the team, the numbers (last year, this year, next year), the ask and use of funds, and the repayment plan. It replaces a long document with the essentials a lender or partner needs to decide.
Summary
This page provides a free downloadable UK one-page business plan template plus guidance on what a lender reads first: the numbers, the ask and use of funds, and the repayment source, which should be concrete (amount, what it buys, what it delivers, how it is repaid). It explains that most SME lenders accept and often prefer a tight one-pager backed by a cash flow forecast and recent accounts over a long padded plan, and that the plan's numbers must line up with the forecast.
This Page Covers
UK one-page business plan template: the nine sections, what a lender reads first, and how it pairs with financial forecasts
Not Covered Here
The month-by-month numbers (see /templates/cash-flow-forecast-template/), profit reporting (see /templates/profit-and-loss-template/), the funding itself (see /eligibility-checker/)
Download the template
Nine short sections. Replace the prompts with a sentence or two each and keep the whole thing to one page.
1. The business in one line 2. The problem / the need 3. The offer (and price) 4. The market (who, how many, how you reach them) 5. The competition and your edge 6. The team 7. The numbers (last year / this year / next year): turnover, gross profit, operating profit 8. The ask and use of funds 9. The plan for repayment
The three sections a lender reads first
| Section | What the lender is checking | Make it concrete |
|---|---|---|
| 7. The numbers | Do the trend and the profit support borrowing? | Real figures for 3 years, one line on the assumption |
| 8. Ask and use of funds | Is the money for something specific that pays back? | Amount, exactly what it buys, what it delivers |
| 9. Repayment plan | Where does the repayment actually come from? | The revenue source and the period |
Source: FundBiz one-page business plan, lender read-through
Sections 1 to 6 set the context; sections 7 to 9 get the decision made. Vague growth ambitions in place of a specific use of funds are the commonest reason a plan reads as unfundable.
View as plain-text Markdown
### What a lender weighs on a one-page plan | Section | What the lender is checking | Make it concrete | | --- | --- | --- | | 7. The numbers | Do the trend and the profit support borrowing? | Real figures for 3 years, one line on the assumption | | 8. Ask and use of funds | Is the money for something specific that pays back? | Amount, exactly what it buys, what it delivers | | 9. Repayment plan | Where does the repayment actually come from? | The revenue source and the period | Source: FundBiz one-page business plan, lender read-through Sections 1 to 6 set the context; sections 7 to 9 get the decision made. Vague growth ambitions in place of a specific use of funds are the commonest reason a plan reads as unfundable.
“One page is the right length for the pitch, but do not mistake it for the diligence. A lender still wants the forecast, the last filed accounts and, for a specific purchase, the quote or the contract behind the ask. The one-pager earns the meeting; the numbers behind it win the funding. Keep the page tight and have the supporting figures ready, do not pad the page to look thorough.”
Back it with the numbers
The plan is the story; the cash flow forecast, profit and loss and balance sheet are the evidence. Make sure the numbers on the page match the forecast behind it.
FAQs
What is a one-page business plan?
A one-page business plan states, on a single page, what the business does, who it serves, how it makes money, who runs it, the headline numbers, and (if you are raising money) the ask and how it gets repaid. It replaces a long document nobody reads with the few things a lender, partner or you actually need to make a decision.
What should a one-page business plan include?
Nine short sections: the business in one line, the problem you solve, the offer and price, the market and how you reach it, the competition and your edge, the team, the numbers (last year, this year, next year), the ask and use of funds, and the plan for repayment. A sentence or two each is enough.
Do lenders accept a one-page business plan?
For most SME lending, yes, and many prefer it. A lender wants to see that you understand your numbers and can be specific about the use of funds and the repayment source. A tight one-pager backed by a cash flow forecast and recent accounts is more persuasive than a long plan padded with generic market research.
What matters most to a lender on the page?
The numbers section, the ask and use of funds, and the repayment plan. Be concrete: "£50,000 for a second van and a driver, to deliver a signed £180,000-a-year contract, repaid from that contract over 36 months" tells a lender everything. Vague growth ambitions do not.
How is a business plan different from a forecast?
The plan is the narrative and the ask; the forecast is the month-by-month numbers behind it. Pair the one-pager with the cash flow forecast, profit and loss and balance sheet templates so the story and the numbers line up. A plan whose numbers contradict the forecast undermines both.
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Check your funding options →By Adam Parker. Reviewed by Oliver Mackman. Last reviewed 31 July 2026.