The government provides support to help businesses to:
- start up, grow and succeed
- overcome current financial and economic challenges
- innovate
- trade internationally
There is a range of government support available to businesses, through advice, guidance, information, grants, training and other services.
These services have been brought together for businesses in England under the Solutions for Business portfolio. Solutions for Business is only available in England. Government support for businesses is different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
This guide explains the various forms of government support and how businesses can access them.
Table of Contents
Financial support for businesses
The government provides financial support to business – including loans and loan guarantees, grants and equity – through a range of Solutions for Business products and other initiatives.
Understanding Finance for Business provides entrepreneurs and businesses with advice and support to ensure they understand their options for getting the money they need to start, sustain and grow. You will also be introduced to potential sources of finance.
Finance for Business offers flexible finance solutions such as loans and equity finance for businesses with viable business plans that are unable to get support from commercial banks and investors.
Solutions for Business is only available in England. You can download the new Solutions for Business portfolio from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) website (PDF, 119K) – Opens in a new window.
Government support for businesses is different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Smart (previously known as the Grant for Research and Development) is also available – for further information see the page in this guide on support for innovation.
In Scotland, there are various grants and funding options available to businesses of all sizes. You can read about RSA grants on the Scottish Enterprise website – Opens in a new window.
In Northern Ireland, there is the Enterprise NI Loan Fund (ENILF). You can find out about the ENILF on the Enterprise Northern Ireland website – Opens in a new window.
Community Investment Tax Relief (CITR)
If you invest in an official Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI), which provides finance to qualifying profit-distributing enterprises, social enterprises or community projects, you are eligible for CITR.
CITR is available to individuals and corporate bodies with a relief rate of five per cent per annum of the amount invested in the CDFI. You can claim relief for the tax year when the investment is made and in the four years following that.
Download information on CITR from the BIS website (DOC, 132K) – Opens in a new window.
Regional Employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) holiday for new businesses
New businesses may also be able to benefit from the government’s Regional Employer NICs holiday scheme. This may entitle you to a reduction in your NICs. For more information, see our guide on regional employer NICs holiday for new businesses.
Coaching and networks
Coaching can help you develop the areas that are essential to the success of your business. Having an experienced person identify improvements that could be made to your business and how to implement them can help to ensure that your business achieves its potential.
Coaching for High Growth
Coaching for High Growth is a structured coaching programme, assisting businesses to build their inherent capabilities and achieve accelerated growth.
Coaching for High Growth involves a coach or mentor helping businesses to assess their performance against core themes as part of the growth process. They will then work with the business to set relevant action plans.
These core themes include performance benchmarking, market understanding, innovation, intellectual property, investment readiness, skills of the workforce, and leadership and management.
The coaching you receive will be designed to meet your business’ specific needs, but will typically include:
• an assessment of your business’ ability to grow
• a three year strategy for the growth of your business
• a plan to achieve this growth
• assistance in putting that plan into action
Coaches will also be able to identify other specialist help that your business may need.
Note that from January 2012 Coaching for High Growth will be delivered through a new programme called Business Coaching for Growth and there will be limited national availability until then.
If your business has high growth potential but isn’t yet generating revenue, then the coaching will normally be free of charge. For more established small to medium enterprises, up to ten days coaching will usually be fully or part funded.
If part funding is right for your business, what you will be charged will either be on a sliding scale or a payment by results basis. If a sliding scale is right for you, the assessment and strategy development stage will usually be funded.
Networks
Networking with other people and businesses allows you to share experiences and ideas, and to improve your knowledge. Businesses typically network with other businesses, educational establishments and trade associations. For more information, see our guide on learning through networking with others.
For information about Networks for Innovation see the page in this guide on support for innovation.
Mentoring
You can also consider using a business mentor to benefit from advice, support and guidance of an experienced and skilled business person. For more information, see our guide on the benefits of business mentoring.
Business expertise
In order to grow, businesses often need to invest in specialist expertise. If you identify a particular area of your business that you feel needs to be developed, you can enlist a specialist to help you improve your skills in that area, or to advise you on a specific project. The government has two Solutions for Business products that can help:
- The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS)
- Designing Demand
MAS provides specialist manufacturing advice which responds to individual business circumstances. It addresses the practical needs of British manufacturers by delivering hands-on advice and assistance from a wide range of manufacturing disciplines. Find your regional MAS on the MAS website – Opens in a new window.
Designing Demand is a practical mentoring programme developed to help small to medium-sized businesses and technology start-ups use design to improve performance.
It helps businesses embed effective processes for the management of design and innovation and gives managers the skills to exploit design by spotting opportunities, briefing designers and running projects that deliver. Find design and business performance advice on the Designing Demand website – Opens in a new window.
These products and initiatives are subject to specific availability and may not be available in all regions. To find out if you can benefit from these Solutions for Business products and for more options search our business support finder for grants, loans, expertise and advice for which your business may be eligible – Opens in a new window.
Solutions for Business products and services are only available in England. Government support for businesses is different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In Northern Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) has business support available for both client and non-client companies.
When a business becomes an Invest NI client they are assigned a Client Executive. The Client Executive is the business’ main point of contact and will draw on expertise in Invest NI to deliver specific business support that the client needs. Find out about the support available to client companies on the Invest NI website – Opens in a new window.
Even if you are not an Invest NI client you can still benefit from the many programmes and services Invest NI offers. These include export development programmes for both first-time exporters and more experienced exporters, energy and environmental efficiency support, comprehensive business information services and information and communications technology support.
To find out if you qualify as an Invest NI client contact Invest NI on Tel 0800 181 4422.
Support for innovation
Investing in innovation, research and development is important for economic growth.
The Solutions for Business portfolio includes support to help businesses continue to invest in innovation.
Smart (previously known as the Grant for Research and Development) can help you introduce technological innovation in your business. It provides finance to individuals and small and medium-sized businesses in England to research and develop technologically innovative products and processes. See the page on the Smart programme in our guide on innovation, research and development grants.
Collaborative Research and Development provides finance to businesses that are working together and with a university or college to develop new products, services and processes. See the page on collaborative research and development in our guide on innovation, research and development grants.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships provide businesses with a grant to enable the placement of a recently qualified person at graduate level or above into their business.
Networking for Innovation helps businesses to build relationships with universities and/or colleges, to develop and exploit new ideas. It is aimed at businesses with specific technical or scientific research and development requirements, which may be eligible for a grant to establish a network they can share information with.
These products are subject to specific availability and may not be available in all regions. To find out if you can benefit from these Solutions for Business products and for more options search our business support finder for grants, loans, expertise and advice for which your business may be eligible – Opens in a new window or contact the Technology Strategy Board Enquiry Line on Tel 01793 442700.
Skills and training for better business performance
A range of support is available to help improve the performance and increase the productivity of your business. For example:
- apprenticeships
- other work-based training
- small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) Management and Leadership Programme
Support is also available for your employees to undertake other vocational training, although there are some eligibility requirements, such as age, qualification level and business size which need to be met.
Apprenticeships
As an employer, you can get support to employ an apprentice. This support is aimed at encouraging businesses to invest in the practical skills they need to grow.
There are nearly 200 apprenticeship frameworks suitable for hundreds of job roles from Nursing to Graphic Design, Horticulture to Electric Vehicle Engineering.
Employers are expected to meet the full salary costs of their apprentices. The National Minimum Wage for apprenticeships is currently £2.60 per hour.
For apprentices aged 16-18, the government will fund 100 per cent of the associated training costs.
For apprentices aged 19 or over, employers are expected to make a financial contribution of at least 50 per cent of the training costs in addition to the salary costs. This means that the government will co-fund the costs of apprenticeship training for adults up to a maximum of 50 per cent.
The National Apprenticeship Service can help fund and support apprenticeship training within your business. Find out how employing apprentices can help your business on the Apprenticeships website – Opens in a new window.
Workplace Training (non-apprenticeship)
You can also get support to enable your workforce to undergo vocational training to improve their performance and increase your business’ productivity. The programme offers fully-funded literacy and numeracy training for your employees in:
- first qualifications at levels 2 and 3 – for those aged 19 up to 24
- co-funded re-training at level 2 – for employees of SMEs only
If you are an SME you will be eligible for co-funded training. The government will pay 50 per cent of the costs to retrain your staff to level 2 so that you can expand your business or move it in a different direction. You will be expected to contribute the other 50 per cent.
The SME Leadership and Management Programme
If you are in charge of an SME with the potential for fast or high growth, you can get help to develop your leadership and management skills which will improve the growth prospects of your business in the future.
The SME Leadership and Management Programme can provide:
- an assessment of your business’ ability to grow
- a free skills needs analysis
- help in putting together a personal development plan
- access to up to £1,000 worth of grant funding – to help you undertake appropriate training to meet your identified needs
You will need to fully match the grant funding. Follow up support is also provided to:
- review the learning and development activity
- assess your progress against the personal development plan
- provide additional advice on how best to use your newly acquired skills back in the workplace
In Northern Ireland, these services are provided by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL). Find out how to develop your managerial skills on the DEL website – Opens in a new window.
In Wales, there is an Enhancing Leadership and Management Skills programme (ELMS) which is led by the Department for Education and Skills. You can find information for available business support on the Leadership & Management Wales website – Opens in a new window.
In Scotland, management and leadership skills are developed in various ways depending on a person’s need. You can find leadership courses on the Skills Development Scotland website – Opens in a new window.
Support for exporting and overseas investment
UK Trade & Investment is the main body that works with UK businesses to help them develop their trade with international markets.
UK Trade & Investment also aims to bring investment into the UK through the services it offers to overseas companies.
Businesses in Scotland that are interested in trading internationally should contact Scottish Development International (SDI) on Tel 0800 917 9534.
Businesses in Northern Ireland that are interested in trading internationally should contact Invest NI on Tel 0800 181 4422.
UK Trade & Investment offers support services to businesses in England as part of the government’s new Solutions for Business portfolio – ‘Helping your business internationally’.
They can provide structured help to prepare your business to start exporting, to improve your exporting capabilities and to help you enter new export markets. This will typically involve tailored support to:
- assess your business’ ability to export
- help you plan how to start exporting, improve your exporting capability, or enter new export markets
- help you put your plans into action
Any advice or support is tailored to your individual business needs but you may also get help from an experienced International Trade Adviser to:
- gain the necessary skills for trading internationally
- learn how to conduct market research
- travel to new markets and participate in trade fairs
- learn how to overcome cultural barriers to exporting
- receive information, contacts and assistance to help you win business in new overseas markets
Much of the help is free but there may be a charge (albeit at a subsidised rate) for some forms of help, notably from UK Trade & Investment staff overseas. SMEs that are inexperienced in trading internationally may be eligible for a grant towards market research, overseas visits or participation in trade fairs etc.
Businesses in Northern Ireland can access support through the Passport to Export programme. Find out about the support available from the Passport to Export programme on the Invest NI website – Opens in a new window.
In Scotland, the single point of contact for international business development is through Scottish Development International (SDI). Find out how SDI can help your business on the SDI website – Opens in a new window.
In Wales, you can find support for international business development on the Welsh Assembly website – Opens in a new window.
Additional help for exporters
To complement cover available from the private market, UK Export Finance – the UK’s official export credit agency – offers a range of products and services. These include export insurance policies for contracts to a value of at least £20,000, typically involving the export of capital equipment and project-related goods and services. If your contract is not for semi-capital or capital goods and related services, you must first attempt to obtain insurance from a private export credit insurer before applying to UK Export Finance. See our guide on government help for exporters.
For more comprehensive information on the individual export insurance policies, buyer credit facility and other lines of credit, browse quick guides to products and services on the UK Export Finance website – Opens in a new window.
Support to help the environment and reduce costs
Making environmental improvements to your business can also bring real benefits, such as reducing costs and improving your image.
Improving Your Resource Efficiency provides businesses with initial, specialist support to help them reduce the environmental impact while achieving cost savings. It helps you to identify various practical cost-effective actions you can take to be more energy efficient, reduce, reuse and recycle materials, cut waste, water use, discharges and pollution. You can read more about this on our improving your resource efficiency page.
The Rural Development Programme for England is a European Union Programme, which provides a range of support services to small rural businesses to help them grow and develop. It supports projects that:
- modernise a business
- create new services or products
- enhance the countryside and landscape
- innovate new products or process developments
These products are all part of the Solutions for Business portfolio and are subject to specific availability and may not be available in all regions.
To find out if you can benefit from these Solutions for Business products and for more options search our business support finder for grants, loans, expertise and advice for which your business may be eligible – Opens in a new window.
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