Government Simplifies Grants Available to Businesses (England)
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has announced the launch of its 'Solutions for Business" reform of support measures available to businesses. This will reduce the number of advice, loan and grant initiatives to a simplified portfolio of less than 100 products and services.
Managed by Business Link, all the 'Solutions for Business' products will be in place by March 2009 and are a result of a streamlining exercise whereby the government is committed to reduce over 3,000 products to less than 100. The aim is to 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. It is estimated tighter targeting of schemes will collectively add up to £1.4bn per year of value for businesses whilst having clearly identifiable products will save them up to £1.4m in saved search costs. The new products will migrate to 'Solutions for Business' on a rolling basis between now and March 2009. Five products join have now joined the portfolio: Grant for Business Investment, Maximising Foreign Direct Investment, Accessing International Markets, Developing Your International Trade Potential and Train to Gain. Businesses looking for support can contact Business Link by phone (0845 600 9006), online (http://www.businesslink.gov.uk) or face-to-face by contacting their local provider.....
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