Home & Gift, Harrogate - Gift Focus magazine

The information and intelligence team at Business Link East of England:
Back Row: Kantilal Patel; Bob Hinchcliffe; Richard Swift; Andrew Cook
Middle Row: Lauren Dovey; Sanjay Majmudar; Kevin Smith; Tony Barritt
Front Row: Heather Elliott; Andree Hava; Andrew Downes
A definitive guide to the areas in which Business Link offers help
Starting up
Included are the basics of starting a new
company plus how to budget finances, what
are the financial and legal requirements plus
tips on conducting research and preparing a
business plan. There are also case studies and
advice on getting a business mentor.
Finance and grants
Watch on line videos about financing your
business, read articles on finance options
and prepare to raise finance. There are also
guidelines on managing finance and what to
do when in financial difficulty.
Tax, payroll and company information
This section provides lots of advice on tax,
from self assessment to VAT and business
rates, tax reliefs and allowances plus industryspecific
taxes. Payroll explains PAYE and
expenses and benefits employees can claim
whilst the HM Revenue section includes
everything about dealing with HM Revenue
and Customs. You can also search for company
names and find out about Companies House
returns and accounts.
Employment and skills
Not only can you find out about taking on
and managing staff, there are tips on resolving
problems and dealing with retirement,
redundancy and dismissal.
Workplace health and safety
Health and safety can be a minefield. This
section provides simple information about
what you need to do, how to write a H&S
policy for your business plus protecting your
business and indeed, getting insurance.
Environment and efficiency
This section is about environmental
compliance and responsibility with ideas on
improving your environmental performance,
reducing carbon emissions saving money and
resources. It also has a climate change tool to
help you get your business ready for climate
change impacts.
Premises and property
Popular sections of this particular area are
fire safety and risk assessment, how to chose
the right premises for your business, disabled
facilities grant and an overview of the planning
system with a direct portal to applying for
planning permission online.
Create, innovate and protect
Particularly useful for designs, this area covers
protecting your intellectual property, research
and development and information on how to
develop new products and services.
IT and e-commerce
As well as the basic information and advice
on introducing IT to your business, there are
spotlighted tips on working ‘in the cloud’
so you can find out how cloud computing
can help your business, and how to manage an
IT incident.
Sales and marketing
Marketing is an area often left to the last
minute, so here the useful guides on how
to write a marketing plan are very useful.
As is the advice on advertising, branding and
online marketing including how to ensure
your business is complying with the law when
selling to customers.
International trade
Very useful if you trade with overseas
companies, this section has tips on importing
and exporting basics, sanctions, embargoes
and restrictions, tax implications and customs
procedures and regulations.
Grow your business
As well as lots of advice and tips to read,
there are online options such as creating an
action plan to successfully grow your business,
or use Business Link’s interactive tool to find
out who your most valuable customers are, or
access your business performance.
Buy or sell a business
Most popular are the articles on buying an
existing business and an overview on selling
or closing your business. There is also advice
on understanding contracts and responsibilities
to employees. g
Further information
Business Link Information Service
+44 (0)845 600 9006
www.businesslink.gov.uk.
Trading Standards
www.everythingregulation.org.uk
Law Society www.lawsociety.org.uk
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