Support for Businesses

• Does your business need help through the economic downturn?
• Are you thinking of starting your own business?
• Do you want advice on skills and training?
• Do you need access to business finance?
• Do you have a business continuity plan in place?
• Are you eligible for business rates relief?
• Do you need information on health and safety at work?
• Are you looking for new premises?
• Do you need advice or support on redundancy procedures?
• Are you a Town Centre business looking for support?

Does your business need help through the economic downturn?

Business Link Northwest can provide the advice and practical assistance you need, to give your business the best chance of sustained success. To find out more information on:

• Business efficiency
• Cashflow management
• Handling redundancies

They can also provide further specialist guidance on key business issues, as well as information on beating the credit crunch.

Are you thinking of starting your own business?

From market research to legal requirements, there is assistance available to help you setup a new business from a number of sources on our support and advice pages.

New businesses may also be interested in our Business Generation Centres, which are low risk, with short lets providing support to young businesses in a business village setting.

Do you want advice on skills and training?

Development of staff can help your business improve its performance and achieve key objectives. It can also help efficiency and productivity helping your business to remain competitive. Visit Skills and Training for more details.

Do you need access to business finance?

Dependant on your circumstances, there are a number of potential funding sources available. Whether you want funding for short-term capital projects, are planning for longer term growth or simply are finding it difficult to access funding from the usual sources, your business maybe eligible for funding. Visit the Business Finance page for more information.

Do you have a business continuity plan in place?

Nearly 1 in 5 businesses suffer a major disruption every year. Business continuity planning (BCP) is a management process that helps manage the risks to the smooth running of an organisation or the delivery of a service, thereby ensuring that it can continue to operate in the event of a disruption.

Are you eligible for business rates relief?

Whether you are a non profit making organisation, community partnership or you are simply experiencing a period of hardship, you may be eligible for business rate relief.

Do you need information on health and safety at work?

Health and safety is about sensible, proportionate actions that protect people - not unnecessary bureaucracy and paperwork. There is a duty to protect the health and safety of your workers and others who might be affected by your activities.

Are you looking for new premises?

The Council can provide advice and information on current properties and sites that maybe available. New businesses may be interested in our Business Generation Centres, which offer purpose designed incubation units, with easy-in, easy-out monthly licence fees and provide support to young businesses in a business village setting.

Do you need advice or support on redundancy procedures?

Whether you wish to understand the legal obligations regarding redundancy, the ways to minimise redundancy through restructuring or ways to avoid redundancy in general the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) can help.

Are you a Town Centre business looking for support?

The economic downturn is particularly challenging to town centres with local based businesses. A package of measures designed to support our town centres through the recession is being developed, to increase footfall and retail spending. Visit our Town Centre Recession Projects page for more details, as well as information on funding.