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Business support - United Kingdom

Updated 03/2011

For those starting or already running a new business, the main areas of support relate to the following:

  • preparing business plans;
  • how to access funding;
  • how to develop a business;
  • how to comply with the law and follow regulations;
  • how to organise staff training;
  • providing access to local workshops on important issues (finance, VAT and planning);
  • helping a business get in touch with expert advisers from the public, private and voluntary sectors.

Helping businesses

Public organisations

The Business Link website and Business Link advisors around the country should be the first port of call for all businesses looking for business support. It provides useful business support tools and access to advice.

The Social Enterprise Training and Support Consortium (setas) provides business support to social enterprise across the UK, including the devolved regions.

The Social Enterprise Coalition, the UK's national body for social enterprise, provides a search facility for regional business support organisations.

Access to finance is crucial for setting up and running a business.

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

Living and moving in Europe

Still need help?

Still need help?

Enterprise Europe Network - Contact points

The Enterprise Europe Network provides businesses with information and advice through its local contact points. 

Choose your nearest contact point for personalized help and advice:

Further help

SOLVIT helps businesses deal with problems that arise when national authorities wrongly apply EU market rules.