Managing your business

You may have to face some tough decisions, but there is real help available for your business to build on its strengths and to weather the difficulties.

You can get help to grow an existing business, start a new business, or any help you need to stabilise your business from Business Link Northwest.

It has a range of specialist staff with a particular focus on sector specialisms, access to finance, and helping business to innovate. Help is available face-to-face, on-line or by telephone.

You can call Business Link Northwest on 0845 600 9006 or visit their website.

More help and advice is available by expanding the subject headings below.

Health check for your business

Get a free review of your business with a professional business adviser who can provide hands-on advice and help you access other government help, including all the schemes mentioned here.

Around 30,000 businesses have had a Health Check from the Government’s Business Link advice service, to help them stay fit to ride out the economic storm, since the initiative was launched in October.

To access a free health check for your business, call the helpline on 0845 600 9 006 or visit the Business Link website.

Alternatives to redundancy

An interactive guide is available on the Business Link website to help you find alternatives to making redundancies. Advice includes guidance on consulting with employees and on how you can plan effectively for better job security.

Dealing with redundancies

It can be tough making the difficult decisions that affect you, your employees and your business. If you have to make people redundant, Jobcentre Plus helps people at risk of losing their job to start looking for a new one, even before they are made redundant, through online and telephone-based services.

Visit the Jobcentre Plus website and select ‘Help with redundancies’ for more information. Alternatively contact ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) through its web site.

Recruiting employees and restructuring

From April 2009, you can get an incentive of up to £1,000 to recruit a person who has been unemployed for over six months, and get access to in-work training for that person worth up to £1,500.

More details of how to access this help will be made available shortly on the Business Link website. You can also find guidance to help you with staff restructuring here.

Solutions for Business

Solutions for Business brings together and simplifies the range of support offered to businesses by government departments, their agencies and local authorities in England. Find out more on the Business Link website.

Help with exporting

Overseas customers and markets continue to offer your business real opportunities. UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) advisers can help you access the right contacts and raise your company’s profile. They can also help you navigate the local business culture, regulations and logistics. For more information visit the UKTI website or call 020 7215 8000.

Reduce waste and save energy

Business Link can give you advice on how your business can save money at the same time as protecting the environment. An interactive tool is also provided to help businesses assess the areas where they are most likely to be able to cut costs, on the basis of their business activities.

For more information on reducing waste and saving energy, visit the Business Link website.