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Real Help Now home / Jobs and training / Homes / Business / Personal finance / About Real Help Now / Toolkit / Tell us
This page gives information on Real Help Now schemes, including advice and access to finance and tax relief, to support businesses to cope with the effects of the downturn and safeguard jobs.
The links below give a brief summary of each scheme, with further links to more information. The information is split into three parts, relating to the local authority role in delivering the scheme.
New information on Real Help Now will be delivered through info4local's free daily email alert service, which covers a broad range of central government information for local authorities. Register here.
Real Help Now schemes local authorities deliver
-
Business Rates Deferral Scheme
(CLG)
The Business Rates Deferral Scheme allows ratepayers to spread the payment of any increases in their 2009-10 rates bills over three years.
Real Help Now schemes where local authorities influence local delivery
-
Prompt Payment Code
(BIS)
Local authorities should sign the Prompt Payment Code and commit to paying their suppliers on time. Late payments caused 4,000 business insolvencies in 2008 and in 2009 will cost UK businesses £180 million in interest payments to banks – £180 million that could have been used for business growth and re-investment. -
Public Sector Procurement and Supply2Gov.uk
(BIS)
The public sector’s annual procurement spend of £175 billion creates opportunities to support small and medium enterprises and to encourage skills and innovation. Local authorities are encouraged to place contracts on the Supply2Gov.uk website and to build innovation and skills into procurement contracts and processes. Businesses can now access this site free of charge. -
Public Sector Procurement: Small business research initiative
(BIS)
The Small Business Research Initiative enables public sector bodies to effectively seek innovative technology-led solutions to meet their policy and service delivery needs.
Real Help Now schemes local authorities can advise on
-
Automotive Assistance Programme
(BIS)
The Automotive Assistance Programme is the Government’s long-term reinvestment of the automotive industry through a support package. It offers loan guarantees (or, exceptionally, loans) to the UK automotive sector. -
Business Health Check
(BIS)
To help businesses through the recession, Business Link advisers are providing free health checks. These help businesses to maximise their cashflow and business opportunities, and access the full range of government support available, including advice on deferment of credit and tax payments. -
Business Payment Support Service
(HMRC)
As part of a substantial package of support, the Chancellor announced in his Pre-Budget Report that HM Revenue and Customs had introduced a new Business Payment Support Service. This gives businesses that are in temporary financial difficulty a fast and streamlined service for arranging to pay their HMRC tax bill to a timetable they can afford. -
Capital for Enterprise Fund
(BIS)
The Capital for Enterprise Fund is a form of equity investment. It is delivered through specific venture capital funds to enable small businesses with high levels of debt to pay off that debt, or to invest in their business. -
Enterprise Finance Guarantee
(BIS)
The Enterprise Finance Guarantee provides a 75 per cent government guarantee on lenders’ loans of up to £1 million to eligible small and medium enterprises (SMEs). To qualify, SMEs must be viable, have a turnover of less than £25 million and be unable to obtain finance through normal commercial lending. -
Skills and Training Support for Businesses
(BIS)
Advice and support are available to employers to help them identify the most appropriate training qualifications and providers, including Train to Gain (providing advice and access to funded training up to level four), the National Apprenticeships Service, Foundation Degree Forward and the National Employer Service (for large employers). -
Trade Credit Insurance Top-up Scheme
(BIS)
This scheme enables eligible businesses that have had their trade credit insurance reduced to buy up to six months’ top-up cover. This will be at a one per cent premium price and will be administered by their trade credit insurers on behalf of the Government.
