Solutions for Business - Government Funded Business Support

8/14/2019 Solutions for Business - Government Funded Business Support

1/14

Government Funded Business Support


2/14

INTRODUCTION

A Guide to Government Funded Business Support

Help or businesses during the economic downturn, and support or securinguture economic prosperity and growth.

This booklet summarises the support rom government to help yourbusiness succeed.

Solutions for Business is the name or the governments portolio o streamlinedbusiness support available in England. Businesses told us that government support

or business was conusing, so we have simplifed access, reduced the numbero support products on oer and given them a consistent look and eel under theSolutions or Business brand.

The support products on oer provide a range o help or businesses, covering thewhole business lie cycle rom start-up to development and growth.

Most products are ree, or subsidised, but you need to check you are eligible. I youare looking or business support, contact the Business Link service to receive ree,

impartial advice on the most appropriate support or your business.

Business Link provides businesses with an impartial gateway to all o the businessadvice and help available in a Region. It is supported by a national website,www.businesslink.gov.uk and national helpline 0845 600 9 006.

1


3/142

Contents

Starting Up a New BusinessStarting a BusinessIntensive Start Up SupportStarting a High Growth Business

Grow Your Business Understanding Finance or Business

Small Loans or BusinessFinance or BusinessInnovation, Advice and GuidanceRural Development Programme or England Business SupportDesigning DemandCoaching or High GrowthGrant or Business Investment

Improve the Efciency o Your BusinessImproving Your Resource Efciency

Train to GainManuacturing Advisory Service

Develop and Test New Products and MarketsDeveloping Your International Trade Potential

Accessing International MarketsKnowledge Transer Partnerships

Innovation VouchersCollaborative Research and DevelopmentGrant or Research and Development

Transormational ICT

Other SupportGovernment guaranteed bank lending and insurance: Enterprise Finance Guarantee Export Credit Insurance

Funding or intermediaries to provide inrastructure:

Networking or Innovation Business Collaboration Networks Business Growth: Specialist Facilities and Environments Business Premises

Specifc calls made to aid the development o particular technologies: Low Carbon Energy Demonstration

Proactively stimulating interest in enterprise in under-represented groups: Enterprise Coaching

Inormation and advice or inward investors: Maximising Foreign Direct Investment

Devolved Administrations

Indicative guide to products by company size and stage

333

44445555

666

777

7888

999

9

9999

1010

1010

1010

11

12


4/143

Starting Up a New Business

Product

Name

Description

Starting aBusiness

Free advice to help those wishing to start a business. Advice andinormation on all aspects o setting up and running a successulbusiness, rom an assessment o a business idea to adviceon business planning and fnance. Also includes post start-upguidance.

Eligibility:

Individuals and groups starting a business.

Intensive

Start UpSupport

Free advice and intensive assistance (in addition to whats

provided by Starting a Business) or under-represented individualsto help them start their own business.

Eligibility:

Prioritised based on locality and the needs o the individual.This includes, but is not restricted to, women, people withdisabilities and black and minority ethnic communities.

Starting a

High Growth

Business

Free help or new businesses (and people developing a businessconcept) identifed as having high-growth potential. Intensive

individual coaching through workshops, networks and onlineresources to help achieve rapid growth. One to one mentoring isalso envisaged.

Eligibility:

Companies in specifc sectors that have the potential to achieveturnover o 500,000 to 1 million or higher within three years ostarting to trade.

For more inormation on the range o support available to start a business, contactBusiness Link 0845 600 9 006 or visit www.businesslink.gov.uk


5/144

Grow Your Business

Product

Name

Description

Understanding

Finance for

Business

Free advice and support rom specialist advisors to ensure thatentrepreneurs and businesses understand their options or gettingthe money they need to start and grow a business. Includes adiagnosis o fnancial needs and acilitated introduction to potentialsources o fnance.

Eligibility:

Small and medium start-up and growth businesses (under 250employees) lacking an understanding o fnance options and theskills to develop their propositions and access to potential investors.

Small Loans

for Business

Small loans up to 50,000 to help small business owners,entrepreneurs, charities and social enterprises start up,develop and expand their business.

Eligibility:

Individuals starting a business and small and medium sizedbusinesses with a viable business plan, growth potentialand evidence o being unable to raise unding needed rommainstream lenders.

Finance forBusiness A range o fnance unds or businesses with viable business plansunable to get support rom commercial banks and investors.Nationwide options and Regional Development Agency optionsare available.

Eligibility:

Small and medium sized businesses (under 250 employees)and those who have not been able to secure fnance rom othersources.

Innovation,Advice and

Guidance

Innovation advice and guidance rom experts, providing businesseswith expert knowledge and highly specialised and technical skillsto innovate and improve perormance.

Eligibility:

Small and medium sized businesses (under 250 employees)and social enterprises seeking innovative approaches to tacklingbarriers to growth. Advice to businesses with 250or over employees are provided but at ull market rate.


6/145

Grow Your Business Continued

Rural

Development

Programme

for England

BusinessSupport

Support or businesses in the arming, ood and orestry sectors.Includes access to specifc training and grants or businessdevelopment and expansion.

Eligibility:

Farmers, oresters, businesses in the ood industry and rural areas.

Designing

Demand

Support programme or businesses to improve their perormance,become more competitive and increase profts through thestrategic, eective use o design.

Eligibility:

Micro through to small and medium-sized businesses (under250 employees) with ambition to grow, an appetite or change,

and the resources and management time to invest in runningstrategic design projects.

Coaching for

High Growth

A ree structured coaching programme, helping new and existingbusinesses with the desire and potential to achieve signifcantgrowth. The coaching is a customised intensive, one-to-oneprogramme rom experienced mentors. It is supplementedby workshops, networks and online resources.

Eligibility:

Small and medium sized businesses (under 250 employees)with the potential to achieve high growth.

Grant for

Business

Investment

Grants providing help or business investment projects whichincrease productivity, skills and employment in disadvantaged areas.

Eligibility:

Most businesses in Assisted Areas can apply. Small and mediumsized businesses (under 250 employees) in other disadvantaged

areas, as defned by Regional Development Agencies.

For more inormation on the range o support available or growing a business,contact Business Link 0845 600 9 006 or visit www.businesslink.gov.uk


7/146

Improve the Efciency oYour Business

Product

Name

Description

ImprovingYour Resource

Efciency

Advice, guidance and support in various orms (e.g. on site visits,loans, grants) to help businesses become more resource ecient,reduce costs along with their carbon ootprint and increasetheir competitiveness.

Eligibility:

Most o the support is available to all business and much oit can be implemented at low, or no, cost. Further specialisedsupport is available or those with signicant potential to reducetheir environmental impacts. Some help under this product ischargeable.

Train to Gain Skills and training support or businesses to develop the skillso their employees as a route to improving overall businessperormance. Through a national network o Business Linkadvisers, ree, expert support is available to help employers tomake an assessment o their skills needs, and identiy and accessappropriate training solutions. Eligibility or unding or subsidiesis identied to enhance the employers own investment in skills,

refecting the shared responsibility or training.

Eligibility:

Open to employers o all sizes and sectors in England.

Manufacturing

Advisory

Service

Specic support or manuacturing companies in the orm o reeand subsidised practical advice rom experts to help businessesreduce costs and improve productivity and eectiveness.

Eligibility:

Small and medium sized (under 250 employees) manuacturingrms. Support to businesses with 250 or over employees isprovided but at ull market rate.

For more inormation on the range o support available to improve your businesseseciency, contact Business Link 0845 600 9 006 or visit www.businesslink.gov.uk


8/147

Develop and Test New Productsand MarketsProduct

Name

Description

DevelopingYour

International

Trade

Potential

Advice and unding or businesses who are considering exporting orentering new overseas markets or who need help in communicatingwith overseas customers. Provides tailored training, workshopsand networking to help businesses prepare to trade internationally.

Eligibility:

Businesses o all sizes and sectors in England.

Accessing

International

Markets

Specialist, tailored and in-depth market research and advice onidentiying opportunities or businesses considering exporting into

new overseas markets or wanting help in existing ones. Providesan overview o the chosen market and access to relevant contactsas well as market research reports. Also includes fnancial supporttowards the costs o overseas trade airs and missions anddetailed marketing research projects.

Eligibility:

Small and medium sized businesses (under 250 employees)and large frms (250 and over employees). Some help under thisproduct is chargeable.

Knowledge

Transfer

Partnerships

Support or the placement o a recently qualifed person (or example,a postgraduate or doctorate) in a business. Allows a business towork collaboratively with knowledge base institutions (e.g. HigherEducation Institutions) to share the risks and costs associatedwith innovation.

Eligibility:

Businesses o all sizes and sectors in England who show willingand potential to develop innovative products, processes or

services. Government makes a contribution towards the projectcost via a grant paid to the knowledge base partner with thebalance paid by the business. The business contribution isdependent on the cost o the project.

Innovation

Vouchers

Funding or businesses to purchase research and developmentsupport rom knowledge base institutions (e.g. Higher EducationInstitutions) in order to explore opportunities or uture collaborationin developing and exploiting new ideas.

Eligibility:Small and medium sized businesses in England who showwilling and potential to develop innovative products, processesor services.


9/148

Develop and Test New Productsand Markets ContinuedCollaborative

Research and

Development

Financial grants or businesses working together to shareknowledge, expertise and spend on research and development.

Also to encourage collaborative working on research anddevelopment between businesses and knowledge baseinstitutions (e.g. Higher Education Institutions).

Eligibility:

Businesses o all sizes and sectors in England who show willingand potential to develop innovative products, processes orservices.

Grant for

Research andDevelopment

Financial grants to assist businesses to develop and exploit

new ideas, overcome technical barriers and scientifc risk andincreasing research and development activity.

Eligibility:

Individuals starting a business and small and medium sizedbusinesses (under 250 employees) within all sectors, exceptdeence industry. Large frms (250 and over employees) areeligible when support is sought or low carbon technologies.

Transfor-

mational ICT(pilot phase)

Support or ICT to enable a completely dierent (i.e. transormed)

business model which could simply not be delivered without thatICT and which, potentially, brings substantial new benefts to thebusiness, or example, in terms o productivity, competitiveness,market access or carbon neutrality.

Eligibility:

Small and medium sized businesses (under 250 employees)

For more inormation on the range o support available to develop and test

new products and markets, contact Business Link 0845 600 9 006 or visitwww.businesslink.gov.uk


10/149

Other Support

Government guaranteed bank lending and insurance:

Product

Name

Description

EnterpriseFinance

Guarantee

Government loan guarantee acilitating additional bank lending orsmall businesses, intended primarily to improve the availability oworking capital. It also supports lending or business growth anddevelopment in cases where a sound proposition may otherwisebe declined due to a lack o security. Eligible businesses are ableto borrow between 1,000 and 1,000,000 when this would nototherwise have been possible.

Eligibility:

Viable small and medium sized businesses (under 250 employees)in the UK with an annual turnover o up to 25 million who have noor insufcient security. Decisions to lend are ully delegated to theparticipating lenders.

Export Credit

Insurance

Insurance policies, guarantees or bank loans and political riskinsurance or contracts involving the export o capital equipmentand project related goods and services.

Eligibility:

Any person doing business in the UK who is exporting capital

goods and services or is investing overseas. Eligibility is subjectto credit risk assessment.

Networkingfor Innovation

Intermediaries are unded to help businesses build relationshipswith other businesses, intermediaries and knowledge baseinstitutions (e.g. Higher Education Institutions) to develop andexploit new ideas. Business Link can inorm you o any networksin your region and their specifc eligibility criteria.

BusinessCollaborationNetworks

Intermediaries acilitate opportunities or businesses to collaborateon projects they would have been unable to pursue alone.Business Link can inorm you o any networks in your regionand their specifc eligibility criteria.

BusinessGrowth:SpecialistFacilities andEnvironments

Intermediaries provide specialist acilities such as incubator units,science parks and demonstrator acilities. Business Link caninorm you o acilities that have vacancies. Each acility has itsown entry criteria.

BusinessPremises

Intermediaries provide cost-eective managed workspacesand business parks in priority areas to help new and existingbusinesses grow. Business Link can inorm you o premisesthat have vacancies. Each premises has its own entry criteria.

Funding for intermediaries to provide infrastructure:


11/1410

Other Support ContinuedSpecifc calls made to aid the development o particular technologies:

Product

Name

Description

Low Carbon

Energy

Demonstration

Finance to assist a business in a range o demonstration activityin order to commercially exploit research and development inlow carbon energy-generating technology. Invitations to applyor unding will be made when opportunities arise to supportthe development o specic energy-generating technology.

Eligibility:

Businesses based in the UK engaging in low carbon energy-basedtechnology. Each invitation to apply or unding will have its owneligibility criteria.

Proactively stimulate interest in enterprise within groups that would

otherwise not get involved in enterprise:

Product

Name

Description

Enterprise

Coaching

Flexible one-to-one support at a local level to stimulate interestamongst people with the desire and potential to start their own

business. Includes talks, visits, presentations and mentoring support.

Eligibility:Prioritised based on locality and needs o the individual, butincludes residents o areas o deprivation, people with disabilities,women and black and minority ethnic communities.

Inormation and advice or inward investors:

Product

Name

Description

Maximising

ForeignDirect

Investment

Inormation, advice and tailored help or potential and existing

inward investors to the UK to help them with the decisionto invest in the UK and develop their UK-based business.

Eligibility:

Overseas companies identied by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI).

The portolio is fexible, and new business support products will be available whenthe need exists. Possible uture inclusions include business mentoring, which wouldgive owners/senior managers o SMEs access to the knowledge and expertise o

another business leader, and a Supplier Development Service, which would providebusinesses with the advice and skills to supply the public sector.

NB: The Government has put in place a number o temporary business supportmeasures, some o which carry the Real Help branding, or example Trade CreditInsurance Scheme (TCIS).


12/1411

Devolved Administrations

Solutions or Business covers England only. Other support or businesses is availablein Devolved Administrations through the ollowing:

Northern Ireland Invest NI, www.investni.com/, no national no. but eight regional

ofces. Ballymena 028 2564 9215, Belast 028 9023 9090, Coleraine 028 70280055, Craigavon 028 3839 0140, Derry 028 7126 7257, Enniskillen 028 66343942, Newry 028 3026 2955 and Omagh 028 8224 5763

Scotland Business Gateway, www.bgateway.com/, 0845 609 6611

Wales Flexible Support or Business, www.business-support-wales.gov.uk/,030006 6 03000


13/1412

Indicative guide to Solutions forBusiness by company size and stageProduct Pre-

Start up

New

Company

SME Large

Firm

Accessing International Markets X XBusiness Collaboration Networks X X X

Business Growth: Specialist Facilitiesand Environments

X X

Business Premises X X

Coaching or High Growth X

Collaborative R&D X X

Designing Demand X X

Developing your International Trade Potential X X

Enterprise Coaching X

Enterprise Finance Guarantee X X X

Export Credit Insurance X X

Finance or Business X X

Grant or Business Investment X X X

Grant or Research and Development X X X X

Improving your Resource Efciency X XInnovation Advice and Guidance X X

Innovation Vouchers X

Intensive Start-up Support X X

Knowledge Transer Partnerships X X

Low Carbon Energy Demonstration X X

Manuacturing Advisory Service X X X

Maximising Foreign Direct Investment X X

Networking or Innovation X X X

Rural Development Programme or EnglandBusiness Support

X X X X

Small Loans or Business X

Starting a Business X X

Starting a High Growth Business X X

rain to Gain X X

Understanding Finance or Business X X X

NB: Large companies may have to contribute to the costs o some products.

Some products specifcally oer more support to smaller companies.


14/14

Printed in the UK on recycled paper containing a minimum of 75% post consumer waste.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. www.bis.gov.uk

First published December 2009. Crown copyright. BIS/2.5K/12/09/AR. URN 09/1556

Documents

Solutions for Business - Government Funded Business Support