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Business support

Business advice

Business Advice Centre (SW) Limited

The Business Advice Centre was opened in 1999 with specialist facilities for training and counselling new businesses. Experienced accredited business advisers offer confidential free and impartial advice, information and training on a variety of business matters such as finance, marketing and legalities. It offers a range of services to existing business people as well as those thinking of starting a business.

The Business Advice Centre's service includes:

• Key Business Skills Training Course - for those wishing to start in business
• Business Rehearsal - test trading whilst in receipt of benefit
• The Plymouth Small Business Fund - loans up to £5,000 and grants up to £1,000
• Business Buddies - developing business through Continued Professional Development
• New Entrepreneurs Scholarship - selected support in specific Plymouth areas
• Retail Skills Exchange - helping retailers to manage change in Plymouth
• Business Volunteer Mentors - help and support from professionals as well as business people

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Business IT Guide

The Business IT Guide has been developed by e-skills UK (the Sector Skills Council for IT and Telecoms) and funded by the South West of England Regional Development Agency. It is a free, on-line tool that helps small businesses make better use of IT and subsequently improve efficiency and productivity.

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Business Link

Business Link offers a service designed to provide support to anyone considering starting their own business and those running or expanding their business. Specialist advisors can provide information and independent advice on:

• starting or running a new business
• improving performance or expanding a business
• training and organisational development
• technology, design and innovation
• IT and e-business
• exporting and international trade
• regulations and tax
• finance

Business Link has access to a wide range of additional support available from organisations throughout the region and is able to signpost you to the services your business requires. For further information, please email Business Link in the South West at enquiry@businesslinksw.co.uk.

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City of Plymouth Library and Information Services

Plymouth Central Library provides a business service, which includes access to business and patent information.

Further information on the services provided by the Libraries can be obtained by contacting Plymouth Library Service.

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Environmental guidance for small business

NetRegs is the primary trusted source of guidance on environmental legislation for businesses in the UK. A Government partnership of the UK environmental regulators - Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) - NetRegs provides free, clear guidance for different business types on how to comply with environmental legislation, helping business easily understand the practical steps they need to take to protect the environment and stay compliant with the law.

For free self-assessment questionnaire please visit the NetRegs website.

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Plymouth Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Plymouth Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the second oldest Chamber in the UK - for over 180 years it has played a fundamental role in Plymouth business life and the city as a whole. It has provided a forum that its member companies can use to build and develop their business. The Chamber offers members and non-members a wide-ranging programme, including:

• Business breakfasts, lunches and dinners
• Specialist seminars
• Low cost training workshops
• High profile conferences

For further information, please email Plymouth Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

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Social Enterprise Link

The UK Government defines a social enterprise as a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners.

Social Enterprise Link, a partnership between Co-active Limited based in Plymouth, Co-operative Futures based in Gloucester, Social Enterprise Works in Bristol and Business Link, is aimed at social enterprises that are already trading or at the very beginning of the process and looking to create or expand their trading activity.

The free service provides information about social enterprises, together with valuable information about developing business ideas. Contact with a qualified social enterprise advisor, who will help develop early ideas and provide guidance through a set of activities designed to enable plans to progress, is also provided. Information on short training courses can be provided where appropriate and, as an enterprise develops, further bespoke help and advice may also be available.

To get started, email your name, plus the name of your enterprise if it is already trading, and your postal address to referrals@co-active.org.uk, and Social Enterprise Link will send a free information pack.

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South West Learning and Skills Council

The Learning and Skills Council exists to make England better skilled and more competitive, and its single goal is to improve the skills of England's young people and adults to make sure it has a workforce that is of world-class standards. It is responsible for planning and funding high-quality vocational education and training for everyone.

The South West LSC comprises five local offices from which it plans and funds post-16 education and training across Bath and North East Somerset, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Poole, Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire.

For further information, email the Devon and Cornwall office at devonandcornwallinfo@lsc.gov.uk.

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University of Plymouth Enterprise

University of Plymouth Enterprise provides access for businesses to the University of Plymouths expertise, resources and facilities which comprises more than 800 academics and specialist technical professional staff across a broad spectrum of disciplines.

Businesses can use the University's Centres of Expertise to carry out research in their particular fields and some of the UK's most successful businesses have collaborated with the University of Plymouth.

The Centres of Expertise bring together specialists in fields such as:

• Advanced Composites Manufacturing
• Electronic Sensors
• Agrifood
• Entrepreneurship
• Applied Scientific Services
• Manufacturing and Business Systems
• Applied Plant Science
• Marine Science and Technology
• Digital Arts and Technology
• Social Research and Regeneration

For further information, please contact the University of Plymouth Enterprise.

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Financial assistance

Finance South West

Finance South West is an £18 million investment fund which has been secured to assist start-up and growing businesses in Plymouth and the Object 2 areas in the south west.

Within the fund there is a £12 million growth fund of £50,000 to £200,000, and equity investments of up to £500,000. In addition, there is a £6 million business loan fund which can provide loans of between £5,000 and £50,000. Further information on both the growth and loan funds are available through Keith Masson at Finance South West.

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The Prince's Trust

The Prince's Trust is a national charity set up to assist less fortunate young people to start up their own business.

Counselling and financial help is available in the form of Test Marketing Grants and start-up finance. Successful applicants for start-up finance will receive ongoing information and advice, and will be able to take advantage of the special offers and training opportunities which the Trust occasionally negotiates. For further information, please contact The Prince's Trust.

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Selective Finance for Investment in England (SFI)

Selective Finance for Investment in England (SFI) is administered by the South West of England Regional Development Agency and is aimed at businesses of all sizes looking to invest in assisted areas that need a grant or loan to take their vision forward. Information on assisted areas may be found in the document table below.

Successful businesses typically receive around 10 to 15 per cent of a project’s total eligible capital expenditure but support can vary widely either side of these figures depending on the need and quality of the project. Higher aid ceilings may be available for small to medium sized businesses.

The scheme focuses support on high quality, innovative, knowledge-based projects that lead to long-term improvements in productivity, skills and employment. Projects are expected to equal or exceed the sector and national average productivity growth, measured on the basis of Gross Value Added per full-time employee. The majority of jobs are expected to be at NVQ Level 2 and above.

Projects such as launching a new business, expanding existing companies, introducing new technology into manufacturing, or taking a new product from its early stages all the way through to production are eligible for support.

Each application has to meet certain criteria:

• Projects must be located in an assisted area
• A proven need for financial support
• Projects should not be irrevocably committed prior to the application
• Projects must involve capital investment on fixed assets such as property or machinery
• Grants over £100,000 must create new jobs or safeguard existing employment
• Projects should be viable, competitive and profitable
• Projects should provide positive benefits to both the regional and national economy

Under SFI, the minimum grant available is £10,000. Grants up to £2 million will be appraised within the South West of England Regional Development Agency, whilst any projects needing grants over £2 million will be appraised by the Department of Trade and Industry.

Although the business investment advisers at the South West of England Regional Development Agency are able to give advice to businesses considering applying for SFI grant, it is recommended that companies seek the services of an accountant that specialises in this form of financial assistance. A list of such specialists in the area, who will provide a free initial consultation to businesses seriously considering applying for grant assistance, may be found in the document table below.

If you are a financial services company that can provide this specialist service to companies in Plymouth, and you wish to be included on the list, please email the Economic Development Team at invest@plymouth.gov.uk.

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Legal advice

A list of Plymouth-based legal practices offering advice on all areas of business, commercial, company and commercial property law may be found in the document table below.

If you are a Plymouth-based legal firm wishing to be included on the list, please email the Economic Development Team at invest@plymouth.gov.uk.

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