Help and Support for Your Business

Help and Support

Your business can get advice and financial help from government-backed schemes. Enter your details and select the type of support you need.

You can also get:

• help with tax
• help with exporting
• advice on writing a business plan

If you’re unemployed or on benefits you may be able to get extra help through your Jobcentre Plus work coach.

You can also contact Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) for confidential advice and help with employment law.

You can contact the government’s Business Support Service for free advice.

Email: enquiries@businesssupportservice.co.uk
Telephone: 0800 998 1098
Webchat
Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm (except bank holidays)
Find out about call charges

The Business Support Service for England is also:

• on X
• on Facebook
• on YouTube

You can also find free advice and sources of finance through your local ‘growth hub’.

If you are having problems paying your business rates and feel that you are having financial difficulties you can contact the Business Debtline on 0800 197 6026 for free confidential and independent advice. Your local Citizens Advice Bureau may also be able to help if you have debt problems.

Breathing Space

If you are a sole trader struggling with debt and financial management, you may be eligible for a period of respite where your creditors cannot take action to collect your debt known as ‘Breathing Space’. This is not something we can arrange for you. You should contact one of the organisations listed below for more information on the qualification criteria and details on how to apply (Limited company debts are not eligible for inclusion in Breathing Space).

National Debtline

Phone: 0808 808 4000
Monday-Friday: 9am to 9pm
Saturday: 9:30am to pm

StepChange Debt Charity

Phone: 0800 138 1111

Lifeline

Email: help@lifelinedebtadvice.co.uk

Phone: 01270 750358

If you enter a period of Breathing Space, most of your debts will be protected to allow you time to enter a debt solution such as a Debt Relief Order, Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) or repayment plan.

During Breathing Space, you may still receive Business Rates bills if:

• you move in or out of a property
• you occupy another property
• your entitlement to a Business Rates reduction changes
• a new Financial Year begins

You will need to make payment as requested on the bill, but do not need to worry about any debt you have included in your Breathing Space application. Once your Breathing Space ends, if you have not entered a formal debt solution, we will write to you. To avoid further recovery action you should contact the Business Rates Team to discuss your case immediately.

You can also get help from a qualified rating surveyor through one of the following organisations:

• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
• Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV)
• Rating Surveyors Association

You may be charged for any advice you get from a rating surveyor right from the start.

You can get advice from an organisation that’s part of the RICS Helpline Scheme. The first 30 minutes of the consultation call are free.