Business Leaflet - Recession Campaign

Support for Businesses Help through the recession and planning for the future

Business Support The West at Work partnership is committed to supporting your business and helping it thrive and grow. Changing economic circumstances can make it harder to run a successful business but there is plenty of support available through a range of local agencies.

Business health check A review of all aspects of your business with links to local and national business support networks.

Skills analysis Identifying current skills and what will be needed in the future.

Innovation grant Information about how small and medium sized businesses can gain finance for the research and development of technologically innovative products and processes.

Business forums, information and events Links to networks and events aimed at helping improve your business.

Skills development and training Information about leadership and management courses, Apprenticeships, NVQ Level 2, 3 and 4, the Skills Pledge, short programmes in business systems, sales and marketing, finance and much more. Advice is also available about free or subsidised courses.

Skills broker Free organisational needs analysis and links to funding (such as Train to Gain), specialist industry support and training. For information about any of the services listed above contact:

Business Link

E. [email protected] T. 0845 600 9966

For other specialist support contact the organisation listed under the relevant section below.

New initiatives and training grants West at Work www.westatwork.co.uk

Support for manufacturers Help with process improvements to enhance productivity and cash flow.

South West Manufacturing Advisory Service www.swmas.co.uk T. 0845 608 3838

Advice and training about employment

relations and business ACAS www.acas.org.uk T. 08457 47 47 47

Local authority help Local authorities can offer a wide range of support, including information about: • Planning and property issues • Business regulations and standards • Business rate relief • Energy efficiency • Tendering for council contracts • Local business information, advice and support services. For further information contact your local council:

Bath & North East Somerset Council www.bathnes.gov.uk www.business-matters.biz T. 01225 477 000

Bristol City Council

www.bristol.gov.uk/business E. [email protected] T. 0117 922 2928

North Somerset Council

www.n-somerset.gov.uk/business E. [email protected] T. 01934 888 888

South Gloucestershire Council

www.southglos.gov.uk/businessmatters E. [email protected] T. 01454 868 009

Recession Support A range of specific advice and support is available to help your business during the economic downturn.

Financial help Through its ‘real help’ initiative, the government can offer help to viable businesses with temporary cash flow difficulties. This supplements existing support already available.

Local events and business forums Events specifically designed to help businesses deal with the recession, including finance workshops, phone support and advice clinics. For information about any of the services listed above contact:

Business Link

www.businesslink.gov.uk/realhelp E. [email protected] T. 0845 600 9966

Redundancy If you have already decided that redundancies are necessary within your organisation please contact:

Jobcentre Plus

www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/employers T. 0845 601 2001 If you are still assessing your options and considering the possibility of reducing your workforce contact:

Business Link

E. [email protected] T. 0845 600 9966 The following organisations can also offer a range of help for you and your staff.

Nextstep (advice on learning and work) www.nextstepsouthwest.org.uk T. 0117 969 7901 or 0845 850 5070

ACAS

www.acas.org.uk T. 08457 47 47 47

South West TUC www.tuc.org.uk T. 0117 947 0521

Recruitment Support Recruiting staff with the right skills can be challenging, however specialist support is available to help you find the right employees for your business.

Jobcentre Plus can promote your vacancies through: • The largest jobs website in the UK • Matching jobs with potential work-ready employees • Job fairs • Job centres • Activities in local communities. Work trials can also be arranged to enable you and your prospective employees to assess suitability for a particular role. Support can be tailored to your specific needs through the Local Employment Partnership (LEP) initiative*. Help is also available with developing application procedures and processing applications (where appropriate).

For more information about any of these services contact: Jobcentre Plus

E. www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/employers T. 0845 601 2001 *Through Local Employment Partnerships (LEPs), employers across the country have signed up to working in partnership with Government to unlock the talent available in local communities.

Being able to access a range of coordinated services during times of such economic change offers a great bonus for local businesses. Cabot Circus created over 4,000 jobs so the need to source and skill high numbers of staff was vital. A streamlined provision of free services delivering practical and efficient solutions for individual businesses helped our new retailers and restaurants to open fully recruited with well trained staff. The partnership has created real results with a positive impact on our business and the local community. Cabot Circus Centre Director, Richard Belt.

West at Work is a business led partnership which includes the following organisations: the South West Regional Development Agency, Learning and Skills Council, Jobcentre Plus, Business Link, Connexions, Nextstep, Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bristol City Council, North Somerset Council, South Gloucestershire Council, South West TUC, ACAS, City of Bristol College (representing all local training providers) Government Office South West and the West of England Partnership.

For more information visit www.westatwork.co.uk