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Help To Grow – Free Software From The Government
The Help to Grow: Digital Scheme launched recently provides businesses with discounts of up to £5,000 on approved digital accounting and customer relations management software.
The scheme is backed by a separate dedicated website providing free, impartial support to boost businesses’ digital skills.
The software that has been approved includes well-known brands that will help smaller businesses to effectively manage their finances and build customer relationships – ‘levelling up’ (a favourite government catchphrase) the way businesses are run and helping them to scale up.
The Help to Grow: Management Scheme launched in 2021 as part of a wider government effort to back businesses. Help to Grow: Management offers business leaders management and leadership training. Designed to be manageable alongside full-time work, businesses receive 50 hours of training across 12 weeks. The course is 90% funded by government and delivered by leading business schools across the UK, with the support of experienced entrepreneurs and leading figures from industry.
www.helptogrow.campaign.gov.uk
“I want UK businesses to be primed and ready to seize all the opportunities on the horizon as we build back better from the pandemic. Adopting technology means higher performance. The Help to Grow: Digital Scheme is future-proofing our small businesses and putting the UK at the forefront of the worldwide digital revolution.”
– Kwasi Kwarteng
Member of Parliament, Business Secretary
Rishi Sunak
The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “When I announced this at Budget I said we wanted to help businesses become more innovative, more competitive and more profitable. This programme allows them do that. Help to Grow: Digital will help them to grow and flourish by adopting new technologies that are proven to improve processes and boost productivity, levelling up their digital technology and skills.
Real difference
Mike Cherry, National Chair at the Federation of Small Businesses, added: “Small businesses are often keen to embrace new technologies, yet we know that 1 in 4 lack confidence in their own basic digital skills. For those small firms who are eligible, providing the means to make improvements through projects like this will make a real difference for those that are keen to expand their knowledge and skills.”
Low take-up
Cherry added: “Our own research has shown that just 40% of small business owners have used applications like cloud services and online data storage or back-up. It’s crucial that practical changes like this scheme are put in place to help small firms adopt digital technologies, making improvements to their own business and driving growth. We’re encouraging as many eligible small firms to apply and make the most of this new scheme.”
More on the horizon
The government is looking to bring on further products that will help small and medium-sized businesses to grow, including new software to help businesses maximise their sales online.
To qualify
To qualify for the financial discount through Help to Grow: Digital, businesses can be from any business sector but must meet all 4 of the following criteria:
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Be a business based in the United Kingdom registered with Companies House or be a registered society on the Financial Conduct Authorities Mutuals Register.
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Be employing between 5 and 249 people.
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Have been actively trading for over 12 months and have an incorporation date of at least 365 days prior to application.
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Be purchasing the approved software for the first time
Eligible businesses will receive one financial discount towards the purchase of one approved software product up to a maximum of £5,000 (not including VAT) in Customer Relationship Management and Digital Accounting software product categories. The financial discount covers 12 months’ worth of approved software product core costs, exclusive of VAT.
Picture: For more on the Help to Grow: Digital Scheme – Click Here
Article written by Cathryn Ellis
16th February 2022