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Single Government 'solution for business' to help companies succeed

DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM News Release (2009/89) issued by COI News Distribution Service on 31 March 2009

The Government has today delivered on its promise to provide a simplified framework for publicly funded support for businesses.

The Department for Business has announced that the design and rollout of Solutions for Business, its streamlined portfolio of business support products, is complete with over 3,000 schemes reduced to an opening 30. For the first time all government help for business now shares an easily identifiable banner and can be accessed mainly via Business Link. From March 2010 these will be the only products businesses will see.

Solutions for Business will make it easier for companies, small and large, new and existing, to find the right products to help them with common business issues such as getting started, growing, finance, export, skills, innovation and the environment.

To conclude the rollout nine products join the portfolio today, and from 1st April, Train to Gain and Business Link brokers will come together in a new service under the Business Link brand to offer advice on skills, reinforcing Business Link's role as the main route to government support.

High quality business support, directed to where it will have most impact to help businesses start, grow and succeed, is an essential weapon in the government's fight back to economic health. It is estimated tighter targeting of schemes will collectively add up to £1.4bn per year of value for businesses. Rationalisation of support schemes will ensure effective use of taxpayers' money and help businesses start, grow and succeed.

Minister for Business, Ian Pearson (draft) said:

" To succeed in a competitive global environment UK businesses need ongoing access to help and support. The streamlined Solutions for Business portfolio makes it simpler for businesses to access the help they need, providing long term, sustainable, support to business".

Chair of the Solutions for Business Transition Management Board Martin Temple said:

"For far too long, help which has been available to business has not been taken up because it has been too complex, confusing to understand and hard to find quickly and easily. This programme will simplify access, make clear what is available and improve the quality in order to match business needs. The benefits of the new system will soon become apparent."

John Wright, National Chairman of the Federation of Small Business said:

"Small businesses do not want to be swamped by a range of different schemes and proposals that take too long to understand, let alone take advantage of. The FSB welcomes this streamlined set of solutions for business which, we hope, will make it more straightforward for small firms to get the help they need to get started, grow and expand."

Notes to editors:

1. The Solutions for Business portfolio was arrived at through the Business Support Simplification Programme (BSSP) which was announced during the Budget 2006 to reduce the number of publicly funded business support schemes from over 3,000 to less than 100 by 2010. Today, to conclude the rollout nine products join the portfolio: Enterprise Coaching, Improving Your Resource Efficiency, Collaborative R&D, Networking for Innovation, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Innovation Vouchers, Low Carbon Energy Demonstration, Grant for R&D, Rural Development Programme for England.

2. Solutions for Business products are:

Starting Up
1. Enterprise Coaching
2. Starting a Business
3. Intensive Start-Up Support
4. Starting a High Growth Business

Grow Your Business
5. Coaching for High Growth
6. Business Collaboration Networks
7. Business Premises
8. Manufacturing Advisory Service

Employing People
9. Train to Gain

Finance and Grants
10. Finance for Business
11. Understanding Finance for Business
12. Small Loans for Business
13. Grant for Business Investment
14. Enterprise Finance Guarantee
15. Rural Development Programme for England

Exploit Your Ideas
16. Innovation Advice and Guidance
17. Networking for Innovation
18. Innovation Vouchers
19. Designing Demand
20. Business Growth: Specialist Facilities and Environments
21. Collaborative R&D
22. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships
23. Grant for Research and Development

Environment and Efficiency
24. Improving Your Resource Efficiency
25. Low Carbon Energy Demonstration

International Trade
26. Accessing International Markets
27. Developing Your International Trade Potential
28. Export Credit Insurance
29. Maximising Foreign Direct Investment

3. Real Help Now Products are:
Automotive Assistance Programme

4. Eligibiity and application criteria apply to products.

5. Businesses looking for support can contact Business Link by online (http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/solutions), phone (0845 600 9006) or face-to-face by contacting their local provider.

6. The business community, Regional Development Agencies, Local Authorities and other organisations and individuals are involved in the development of the Solutions for Business framework..

7. As per Budget 2008, brokerage for UKTI will integrate with Business Link June 2009 and Resource Efficiency October 2009.

8. The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform helps UK business succeed in an increasingly competitive world. It promotes business growth and a strong enterprise economy, leads the better regulation agenda and champions free and fair markets. It is the shareholder in a number of Government-owned assets and it works to secure, clean and competitively priced energy supplies. More information on BSSP can be found at: http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/enterprise/simplifyingbusinesssupport/page44805.html