Author: Martin Driver

Businesses in Sefton are being invited to apply to the new Help to Grow digital scheme, through which they can discounts of up to £5,000 on Digital Accounting and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software.

Help to Grow aims to help small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) adopt digital technologies that will will help them manage their finances effectively and build customer relationships.

Eligible

To be eligible for the Help to Grow scheme, businesses need to:

• have between 5 and 249 employees;
• be a UK company registered with Companies House or on the Financial Conduct Authority’s Mutuals Register;
• be incorporated and actively trading for over a year before they apply;
• be purchasing the software for the first time.

More information about the scheme is available on the Help to Grow website.

Increase productivity

Businesses visiting the site can also find free and impartial advice on how technology can help increase productivity across all sectors including:

• guidance and tools to help them understand which digital technology is best suited to your business;
• a software comparison tool
• an application process for a financial discount on approved software if they are eligible (up to £5,000)
• checklists to help them assess whether they are ready and how to integrate new software
• case studies about similar businesses.

Find out more at www.learn-to-grow-your-business.service.gov.uk

Sefton Council is urging local business rates payers in the in the hospitality and leisure sectors to apply for the next round of the Government’s Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme.

More information about the scheme and how to apply is available here, and applications are open until Monday 14th February.

Reduced trade

Businesses that have experienced reduced trade owing to the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant because they are in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors can apply to the scheme.

But because of the Government’ requirements applications need to be submitted by Monday 14^th February.

Businesses that think they may be eligible are urged to read the guidance on the website before applying.

Tight deadline

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Compliance and Corporate Services said: “We are encouraging any businesses planning on making applications to get them in as quickly as possible and to make sure they supply all the information that’s required.

“This is because the Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has set a tight, end-of-February deadline for the Council to assess applications and agree payments and we want all local businesses eligible for a grant to get paid.”

Challenges

Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, said: “Sefton Council has recognised that businesses across the Borough have face enormous challenges throughout the pandemic and I am pleased that we have been able to process over 23,000 grant payments totalling over £97 million in payments to help support them, with a further £1.3 million in the pipeline.

“And now with this new round of funding in the form of the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant, I hope we are going to be able to help even more but to help us process their applications, we do need businesses to apply without delay and to look out for any further grant announcements that are made.”

Small or Micro businesses across Sefton in the Hospitality, Leisure and Accommodation sectors have until 5pm on Monday 7th February to apply for the latest round of the Government’s Additional Restrictions Grant payments (ARG3).