Local Enterprise Partnerships
Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) are companies limited by guarantee, typically set up as partnerships between the private sector and local authorities, with support from central Government depending on their individual circumstances. They deliver business support services under contract, to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), to Business Links, to the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) and, increasingly, to overseas customers. The agencies' key purpose is to promote economic regeneration by the setting up of small firms.
CLICK HERE TO FIND YOUR LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP
Business Link
Business Link is the national business advice service in England. Use this site to get straightforward information for your business needs and to access a wide network of business support organisations.
Tel: 0845 600 9 006.
The Small Business Gateway
The Small Business Gateway is a service provided by the Scottish Enterprise Network and its local partners. It provides a single access point to a range of integrated services for businesses in Scotland.
Tel: 0845 609 6611.
Locate your local Gateway
Business Eye
Business Eye is a free, impartial information service for Wales created to find the answers to your business questions. Whether you are an established company, a new idea, a sole trader or an employer of hundreds, Business Eye is here to help and can put you in contact with support from the public, private or voluntary sectors.
Tel: 08457 969798
Locate your regional centre
Community Legal Service
This site from the Community Legal Service (CLS) aims to be the first port of call for anyone seeking legal information and advice - a resource to advisers and the profession, and a reference for the public wanting to access information quickly. As part of its drive to increase justice for ordinary people, the Government has set up a Community Legal Service (CLS). The idea was for people to find help easily and feel confident in the quality of service they get from legal service providers. The CLS aims to ensure that people can get information and help about their legal rights and understand how to enforce them in the right place and at the right time.
Employment Tribunal
Information on the work of the Employment Tribunal
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 01625 545745
Fax: 01625 524510
The Information Commissioner enforces and oversees the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The Commissioner is a UK independent supervisory authority reporting directly to the UK Parliament and has an international role as well as a national one. In the UK the Commissioner has a range of duties including the promotion of good information handling and the encouragement of codes of practice for data controllers, that is, anyone who decides how and why personal data, (information about identifiable, living individuals) are processed.
The Law Society
113 Chancery Lane
London
WC2A 1PL
Tel: 020 7242 1222
Fax: 020 7831 0344
The Law Society is the representative and regulatory body for solicitors of England and Wales. In order to practice, all solicitors must have a Practising Certificate, which is issued by the Law Society on an annual basis. There are over 85,000 solicitors on the Roll.
workSMART
workSMART is a website brought to you by the TUC - the umbrella for Britain's unions. The aim is to help everyone at work - whether or not they are union members - get a good deal from their working life. The website is not just for when things go wrong, but also to help people get on, keep well, plan for when they retire, and sort out their career. workSMART plans to be a one-stop shop for everything to do with working life.
Solicitors Online
This website is the best way to find a firm of solicitors or an individual solicitor on the Internet. This site, administered by the Law Society is the only truly comprehensive and definitive online listing of practising solicitors and law firms regulated by the Law Society of England and Wales. No other Internet site has every law firm and all practising solicitors employed by them in its database.
The Financial Services Authority
25 The North Colonnade
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5HS
Tel: 020 7676 1000
The FSA assumed is the single statutory regulator responsible for regulating deposit taking, insurance and investment business. Also responsible for tackling market abuse, promoting public understanding of the financial system and reducing financial crime.
Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys
Canterbury House
2-6 Sydenham Rd
Croydon
Surrey
CRO 9XE
Tel: 020 8686 2052
Fax: 020 8680 5723
Trade Marks are becoming an important asset of businesses today. It is important to register anything that is unique to your business. ITMA has put together a simple five step guide to take you through the process of registering your Trade Mark.
National Weights and Measures Laboratory
Stanton Avenue
Teddington
Middlesex
TW11 0JZ
Tel: 020 8943 7272
Legal weights and measures are fundamental to a sustainable trading economy. Every week in the UK, over a billion pounds of goods are weighed and measured at retail level alone. NWML, Trading Standards Officers and other approved persons, are responsible for making sure these measures are correct.
Trading Standards Institute
The Trading Standards Institute provides a one stop shop for consumer protection information in the UK. The organisation provides a wealth of information for businesses and consumers, schools, advice and information centres, community organisations, local councils, business support agencies and trade associations.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission
3 More London
Riverside Tooley Street
London
SE1 2RG
Tel:020 3117 0235
Fax:0207 407 7557
The Equality and Human Rights Commission champions equality and human rights for all, working to eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality, protect human rights and to build good relations, ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to participate in society.
Environment Agency
Phoenix House
Global Avenue
Millshaw
Beeston Ring Road
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS11 8PG
Tel: 0113 2134600
Fax: 0113 2134609
The aim of the Agency is to provide Business and Industry with information to:
- help comply with Regulations
- identify Best Available Techniques
- apply for permits or licences
- keep up to date with forthcoming Legislation and Regulations
- advise on Agency Policy and procedures
Companies House
Companies Registration Office
Companies House
Crown Way
Cardiff
CF4 3UZ
Tel: (029) 2038 8588
Companies House has three main functions:
- the incorporation, re-registration and striking-off of companies;
- the registration of documents that must be filed under company, insolvency and related legislation;
- the provision of company information to the public - for this purpose we enforce compliance with legal requirements.
Regional Language Network Yorkshire & The Humber
The Quadrant
Suite 5
Parkway Business Park
99 Parkway Avenue
Sheffield
S9 4WG
Tel: 0870 0493 485
Fax: 0870 0493 486
The Regional Language Network Yorkshire and Humber helps organisations to communicate more effectively with suppliers and customers overseas. It offers a range of free advice on all aspects of international communication including language training, translation, interpreting, international student placements, employing multilingual staff and much more.
Public Concern at Work
Suite 306
16 Baldwins Gardens
London
EC1N 7RJ
Tel: 020 7404 6609
Fax: 020 7404 6576
Public Concern at Work is uniquely placed to help businesses in complying with the Public Interest Disclosure Act. PCW provides support to leading companies, government departments, the NHS and organisations from all sectors. This support is tailored to the needs of the organisation and can include consultancy, policy reviews & audits, in-house training, staff briefing, guidance on handling concerns and communication support.
Insolvency Service
We have a strong tradition of providing the essential mechanisms and efficient means of dealing with individual and corporate insolvency, and investigating fraud and misconduct in insolvencies to ensure that genuine enterprise is advanced and consumers and the general public are protected.
The Money Telegraph
1 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London E14 5DT
Tel: 020 7538 5000
The online version of the UK broadsheet carries a particularly useful channel for small businesses. Aimed at the UK SME audience this resource provides up to the minute news on the latest legislation and regulations affecting business owner managers.
Calculate your pension
Everybody thinking about or currently saving for a pension will be able to calculate how much their savings might be worth on retirement via an online pensions calculator. The calculator has been launched by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the Financial Services Authority (FSA).