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 9006.
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
Finance Yorkshire
1 Capitol Court
Capitol Business Park
Dodworth
Barnsley
S75 3TZ
Tel: 0845 64900000
Finance Yorkshire provides businesses across the Yorkshire and Humber region with funding to start and grow. The Fund provides seedcorn, loan and equity investments ranging from £15,000 and £2million, to help SMEs raise the funding they need alongside investment from the commercial market.
Enterprise in Rotherham
Rotherham Enterprise Board is led by successful business men and women from a wide range of different backgrounds and business sectors. They are using their experience to change the way business support is provided and make it more helpful to entrepreneurs in Rotherham. The Enterprise in Rotherham website contains brief details of free and subsidised business support projects in Rotherham with links to more detailed information.
The Prince's Trust
18 Park Square East
London
NW1 4LH
Tel: 0800 842842
Fax: 020 7543 1200
Every young person has potential. But many don't have the opportunities to fulfil it. The Prince's Trust helps provide those opportunities. The Prince's Trust works with young people under 30 year olds who want to start a business, offering them low interest loans, grants, mentors and other support they need to achieve their goals.
Shell Livewire
Shell Livewire helps 16 – 30 year olds to start and develop their own business and hosts a national competition for new business start-ups.
Company Partners
60 Matthewsgreen Road
Wokingham
Berkshire
RG41 1JU
Tel: 0118 989 1648
Company Partners provides a service to put people who want to start or grow their business in touch with each other. It doesn't matter what area of business you are in. Decorators, doctors, accountants or auto mechanics, if you want to start a new business and need ideas or skills to complement your own or if you have an existing business but looking to add fresh talent – Company Partners will help you get your business going.
Directorbank Executive Search Plc
Saxton House
5 - 9 Maude Street
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS2 7HB
Tel: 0113 297 8000
Fax: 0113 297 8001
Directorbank provides access to many of Europe's leading senior executives across all sectors - and more are continually being added. Candidates all have a clear track record of achievements in senior executive positions. They are capable of participating in deals with values in the range £5 million to £1 billion.
A guide to business start-up; Starting a Business UK
The Online Guide to Starting a New Business.
The Home Business Alliance
FREEPOST ANG3155
March
Cambridgeshire
PE15 9BR
Tel: 0870 749 6321
Fax: 0870 749 6322
The Home Business Alliance gives a helping hand to business people at the grass roots, to help them start up and grow. The HBA's help is unique because, unlike government agencies or training theorists, it comes from practising business men and women.
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 r
equirements.
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.
Street (UK)
Studio 12
Styleworks
50-54 St. Paul's Square
Birmingham
B3 1QS
Tel:0121 230 1060
Fax: 0121 230 1061
Street UK is a micro finance organisation providingappropriately structured business loans to micro-entrepreneurs who are otherwise excluded from access to credit to enable them to develop their businesses.
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
Chartered Accountants Hall
PO Box 433
London
EC2P 2BJ
Tel: 020 7920 8100
Fax: 020 7920 8547
The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales is the largest professional accountancy body in Europe, with over 122,000 members.
The Franchise Business
6 Wight View
Bembridge Drive
Hayling Island
Hampshire
PO11 9LU
Tel: 0239 246 2111
Fax: 0239 246 3555
The focal point for information on the UK franchise market.
The British Franchise Association
Thames View
Newtown Road
Henley on Thames
Oxon
RG9 1HG
Tel: 01491 578050
Fax: 01491 573517
The British Franchise Association aims to help you to make a more informed choice about franchising. All of our members have chosen to be vetted against a strict code of business practice - they endeavour to be good franchisors that can deliver the success that you want.
Enterprise Nation
Redbrick House
9 Town Walls
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
SY1 1TW
Tel: 01743 272555
Enterprise Nation is a free resource to help you start and grow your business at home. On the website, in the e-news and the podcast, all the information needed to get started and get growing can be found.
Online business skills assessor
This online tool comprises nine elements for enterprises to complete to assess the level of their business skills. It aims to highlight where there are skills deficiencies, and help businesses put together a development plan to overcome any problems.
Everywoman Ltd
12 Hurlingham Business Park
Sulivan Road
London
SW6 3DU
Tel: 0870 746 1800