Government Help to Grow campaign announced to support the ‘year of the SMEs’

Almost every business in the country is a small business (99.9%) who in turn support 27 million jobs across the UK, accounting for £4.5 trillion of annual turnover – which is why the government is making 2024 the ‘year of the SME’. 

To support the UK’s 5.5 million small businesses, a new Small Business Council will be launched to bring together SME leaders from across the country. 

In addition to the formation of the Council, the Help to Grow campaign and website has also been refreshed to create a one-stop shop for SMEs to find the information they need to grow and scale up. This will include helping small firms to clearly identify what funding they can access, webinars as well as the basics of setting up a business for the first time.  

The site brings together the support on offer from the government into one place, making it quicker and more convenient to find the resources business leaders and budding entrepreneurs need to succeed.   

This support includes fresh Help to Grow management courses as announced in the Autumn Statement, which are now live. The Help to Grow: Management scheme is an intensive 12-week programme to improve SME leadership and management skills. SMEs from all sectors are able to access the programme that is 90% subsidised by government. This has already supported nearly 8,000 businesses, with the ambition to support up to 30,000 over the programme’s lifetime.   

To mark the campaign, the Prime Minister will host a panel event in Downing Street with small business leaders including, Tom Beahon of Castore, Tessa Clarke of Olio and Jordan Schwarzenberger of Arcade Media to discuss how to start and scale a successful business in the UK, leveraging talent, technology and the support already on offer.  

Kemi Badenoch, Business and Trade Secretary said: “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our local communities and drive the UK’s economy, supporting jobs and wages across the country.   

“This new Council will mean SMEs have a clear voice at the table and we can deliver on the key needs for business.  

“We are taking action to ensure that they have the support, tools and guidance they need to thrive – because when small businesses succeed, the UK succeeds.”