What is Help to Grow?
In the March 2021 Budget, the Chancellor announced the new, UK-wide 'Help to Grow' schemes, to help small businesses across the UK, learn new skills, reach new customers and boost profits.
Help to Grow: Digital aims to support up to 100,000 SMEs over three years with online advice and guidance, as well as a voucher for software to help them save time and cut costs.
Help to Grow: Management is an intensive UK-wide training programme that aims to support up to 30,000 SME's to boost their leadership and management capability, learn new skills and drive growth.
Updates from Monday 25th July 2022
- New eligibility for the Help to Grow: Digital scheme is allowing more businesses to take part by reducing the minimum number of employees the business must have from 5 to 1. This will mean the number of businesses able to apply is almost tripling in size, with up to 1.2 million UK businesses being eligible to access discounts worth up to £5,000 on approved software.
- Adding e-Commerce software to support businesses to sell online and reach new markets. This includes helping them to manage their inventory, take payments and gather data and insights on customers' needs. Businesses which adopt e-Commerce software see on average a 7.5% increase in employee sales over 3 years.
- The digital scheme will also support one-to-one advice for small and medium-sized businesses on digital tech adoption. Partnership applications for advice platforms will open from Monday 25th July with the aim of the service being in place for SMEs later this year.
What is Help to Grow: Management?
• Developed in partnership with the industry, this new leadership and management training programme is designed to be manageable alongside full-time work.
• The programme is delivered by the UK’s leading schools that have Small Business Charter accreditation – this provides assurance that the schools have a proven track record in delivering programmes to SMEs.
• The programme is delivered through a combination of virtual webinar sessions, peer-networking calls and face-to-face case study workshops. Participants also receive ten hours of 1:1 support from a business mentor apply what they have learnt to their business. By the end of the course, participants will have developed a Growth Action Plan that is uniquely tailored to help them lead and grow their business.
• Following completion of the programme, businesses gain access to expert advice through the alumni network.
• The course is 90% funded by the government, with a one-off fee of only £750.
What do businesses learn?
- Part 1 - Strategies for Growth and Innovation
- Module 1 - Strategy and Innovation
- Module 2 - Digital Adoption
- Module 3* - Internationalisation and Winning New Markets
- Part 2 - Engaging with Customers
- Module 4 - Vision, Mission and Values
- Module 5 - Developing a Marketing Strategy
- Module 6* - Building a Brand
- Part 3 - Building a sustainable and Agile Business
- Module 7 - Organisational Design
- Module 8 - Employee Engagement and Leading Change
- Module 9* - High-Performance Workplace
- Part 4 - Operations and Financial Strategies
- Module 10 - Efficient Operations
- Module 11 - Finance and Finacial Management
- Module 12* - Implementing Growth Plans
*Case study workshop
What do businesses get out of the course?
As well as developing the Growth Action Plan, the course gives businesses the opportunity to:
o Be aware of the factors that drive productivity and growth and what this means for their business
o Commit to responsible business practices including how to create an inclusive workplace.
o Understand how to innovate their business model and consider how to adopt and invest in new and digital technologies.
o Develop their leadership and management skills, enhancing employee wellbeing and engagement.
o Identify key domestic and export markets for their business and developed strategies for market segmentation, positioning and targeting.
o Develop strategies to improve operational efficiency.
o Collaborate with other businesses to develop their business strategy.
Who can benefit from Help to Grow: Management?
• UK-based businesses from across all sectors are welcome to apply.
• To be eligible, businesses must have between 5-249 employees and have been operating for more than one year.
• The attendee should be a decision maker within the business (e.g. CEO, Finance Director, Managing Director).
What is Help to Grow: Digital?
• Help to Grow: Digital, a flagship government support scheme for small businesses, aims to tackle the information and financial barriers small businesses face in successfully adopting productivity-enhancing digital technologies.
• The scheme is delivered through a new online platform, where businesses can compare and choose from a range of approved software products from leading technology suppliers.
• Eligible businesses are also able to claim a financial discount covering up to 50% the costs of approved, technology solutions up to a maximum of £5,000.
Who can benefit from Help to Grow: Digital?
Help to Grow: Digital’s online platform is available to all businesses, offering them free, impartial online support and guidance to help level-up business digital technology and skills.
The financial discount is available to businesses from any sector that meet all of the following criteria:
have between 1 and 249 employees.
- are registered in the UK at the relevant Companies House or are a registered society listed on the Financial Conduct Authority’s Mutuals Register.
- have been actively trading for more than 12 months, and have an incorporation date of, at least, 365 days prior to the date application.
- are purchasing the approved software product for the first time.
What financial discounts are available?
The financial discount is available for approved software that helps businesses:
- build customer relationships and increase sales
- manage their accounts and finances digitally
The financial discount covers 12 months' with of approved software product core costs, exclusive of VAT.
This is just the start of the new scheme, and we will look to bring on new products that will help small and medium exploring options around the scope of the voucher and its use, including multiple purchases.
Businesses are not permitted to purchase an approved software product that they already own or have an active subscription to.
How can businesses sign up?
To find out more and to register for a nearby course, businesses can visit the Help to Grow website.