On 20 January 2022, the Government launched its Help to Grow: Digital scheme to support small businesses with discounted tech support and software. Help to Grow: Digital sits alongside Help to Grow: Management.
Help to Grow: Digital
What is Help to Grow: Digital?
Help to Grow: Digital helps small businesses access free, impartial online support about how digital technology can boost the performance of businesses.
Eligible businesses can also access a discount of up to 50% towards the costs of buying approved software.
What support can you get?
The scheme offers free, impartial advice, guidance, and tools to help identify the digital technology needs of your business along with the software products available and how to adopt them.
It also offers financial help to buy digital technology. If you are eligible, you can access a discount of up to 50% on the costs of buying approved software, worth up to £5,000.
The scheme aims to support up to 100,000 small businesses.
What type of software can I get?
Discounts will be available for approved software to help build customer relationships, increase sales, manage accounts and finances digitally.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software:
- Zestia Ltd
- Zymplify
- Livepoint Software Solutions Ltd
- Esteiro Business Solutions Ltd
- Deskpro Ltd
Digital Accounting software:
- Sage
- Intuit Ltd
- E-crunch
Who is eligible?
To qualify for the Help to Grow: Digital financial discount, businesses can be from any business sector, but must meet all four of the following criteria:
- Be a business based in the UK registered with Companies House or be a registered society on the Financial Conduct Authorities Mutuals Register
- Employ between 5 and 249 people
- Have been actively trading for over 12 months, and have an incorporation date of, at least, 365 days prior to the application
- Be purchasing the approved software for the first time
The financial discount covers 12 months’ worth of approved software product core costs, exclusive of VAT.
Start your application here.
Help to Grow: Management
Help to Grow: Management offers business leaders management and leadership training. Designed to be manageable alongside full-time work, businesses receive 50 hours of training across 12-weeks. The programme is 90% funded by the government so you only pay £750.
The course is delivered by business schools across the UK, with the support of experienced entrepreneurs and leading industry figures. The programme is a 12-week course designed to equip businesses with the knowledge and skills they need to boost performance and reach their full growth potential.
Since courses began in July 2021, 1,270 business leaders have been onboarded and 402 have completed the Help to Grow: Management programme.
Who it’s for
Businesses across all sectors can apply, including social enterprises. The attendee should be a decision-maker in the business (for example CEO, managing director), and businesses applying must:
- be based in the UK
- have between 5-249 employees
- have been operating for more than a year
- have at least one link of management in the business structure
- Charities are not eligible.
What you can get
- Training
- support from a business mentor
- peer-learning sessions
- access to an alumni network
- help to develop a business growth plan
What are the benefits?
- Enhance your management and strategic capabilities
- Produce a growth plan for your business
- Build resilience to future shocks
- Learn how to innovate in your business
- Adopt digital technologies to boost productivity and operational agility
- Develop your value proposition and reach into growth markets
- Improve employee engagement and responsible business practices
- A blended programme that combines interactive, online sessions with face-to-face learning to suit you
Training topics include:
- leadership
- marketing
- employee engagement
- financial management
How to apply
Apply via the website. There is a £750 joining fee.
Find a course here.