Dear Colleague,
SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY
I am writing to ask for your help to promote this year’s Small Business Saturday on 4 th December, and support and celebrate small businesses right across the UK.
I also want to ask you to encourage small businesses in your constituency to take advantage of the new business support scheme - Help to Grow: Management.
We all know the impact that COVID-19 has had on our small businesses, and we have all been humbled by the resilience, resolve and determination they have shown in innovating and adapting to the challenges of the pandemic. Small Business Saturday 2021 is an opportunity to show our continued support and encourage our local communities to do so as well. Last year hundreds of MPs took part in the campaign, and approximately £1.1bn was spent in small businesses across the country on the day. The significance of Small Business Saturday is even more pronounced this year, as small businesses use these crucial winter months of trading to recover from the pandemic. It’s vital that we help small businesses grow and thrive again.
The government wants to give the UK’s many businesses the support and skills they need to drive the innovation, growth and job creation we need as we move towards a secure and prosperous future. This includes making sure every small and medium business in the country has access to productivity-boosting training and digital technology. Earlier this year, the Chancellor announced the Help to Grow initiative, with two new business support schemes - Help to Grow: Management and Help to Grow: Digital - to boost productivity and drive growth among the UK’s small and medium sized businesses. Help to Grow: Management has been running since August, providing businesses with 90% subsidised management and leadership training, and access to alumni networks and one-to-one mentoring. Businesses can now register their interest ahead of the launch of Help to Grow: Digital. When available, the scheme will give small and medium sized businesses access to free and impartial advice and support online, to help business leaders choose software that will transform their business. It will also offer eligible businesses a discount of up to 50%, worth up to £5,000, towards the purchase of approved software from a range of leading technology suppliers. I urge you to use this opportunity to support your local businesses, not only this Small Business Saturday, but throughout the coming winter months. Please encourage them to take up the offer of Help to Grow, to help them drive their productivity and growth, in turn boosting local prosperity and job creation. Businesses can register their interest for both schemes by visiting www.gov.uk/helptogrow. Supporting small businesses doesn’t just mean spending - sharing social media posts, writing good reviews or promoting the work of businesses online are all ways to show support and these actions can have huge benefits for small businesses. There is also a toolkit of content for communications and promoting Help to Grow on your social channels to businesses in your constituency. I look forward to working with all Colleagues to celebrate and champion the UK’s small businesses.
