57
PRO INSTALLER NOVEMBER 2013
PRO BUSINESS
@proinstaller1
Improving access
to finance
for SMEs
Despite a renewed focus by
government on the financing
challenges facing small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs),
there is scope for the range of
funding initiatives currently in
place to work as a more unified
programme, according to the
National Audit Office (NAO).
GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS
FIRST EVER SMALL
BUSINESS SATURDAY
The UK is celebrating its first Small Business Saturday on 7th December 2013.
Small Business Saturday is a
great chance for small businesses to promote themselves and
generate trade. In the US, where
it’s an established commercial
holiday, it generated $5.5 billion
in sales in 2012.
How to get involved
Preparations for the
Business Bank, which
was publicly launched
in October 2013 but
will start operating as
an independent entity in 2014, prompted
the Department for
Business, Innovation &
Skills (BIS) to re-examine the nature of the
finance problems facing
SMEs. These include a
possible need by SMEs
by 2017 for an additional £22 billion over
and above the finance
available to them.
‘A significant
and enduring
problem’
The report found that, at
present, although BIS and
HM Treasury both have
teams dealing with ‘enterprise’ policy, there is no
formal research programme
joining the Departments
with other departments,
such as HMRC, with an
interest in SMEs.
“Access to finance is a
significant and enduring
problem for many small and
medium-sized businesses.
There is a range of schemes
led by the Department for
Business, Innovation &
Skills to address areas of
the market where there
are problems. But there is
work to be done in terms
of managing the schemes
as a unified portfolio and
articulating what they are
intended to achieve as a
whole. Given the importance to the Government of
promoting growth, greater
benefits and public value
could be achieved through
treating the interventions as
a programme, with a clearer
focus on assessing what
results can realistically be
delivered,” Amyas Morse,
head of the National Audit
Office.
In the UK, Small Business Saturday is
a grassroots campaign. Small businesses
of all kinds are taking part. They’re planning special deals for customers, showcase events, joint marketing with local
media and much more. Small Business
Saturday works when small businesses
take action.
The Prime Minister, the government
and all the major political parties are
endorsing the day. Government departments are working with the campaign to
support small businesses on the day.
Small business organisations, local
authorities, community groups, big businesses, banks, accountants and others
are involved too. They’re promoting the
day locally, to their members, customers
and supply chains. Some are planning
business healthchecks, clinics, and online advice.
The Small Business Saturday campaign is counting down to 7 December
by featuring a different small business
everyday on its Small Business Saturday
Facebook page.
Why Small Business
Saturday is important
It matters because small businesses
matter and we want to celebrate them.
It’s just one day, but we all rely on small
businesses every day. There are 4.8
million small businesses in the UK and
over 14 million people work in them.
‘They’re planning special
deals for customers,
showcase events, joint
marketing with local
media and much m ???d)%??M????? ??????M?????????????)?????????????????????????????????)????????????)A????????????M????? ??????M????????+??%???????????????????????????(??M???? ??M??U,?????????????????)?????????????????M???? ??M??U,+??%????????????????????????????M????) ??????M???????????????+??%??????????????????????????????)?????????????()U,?????????????????????)??????????????????)Q???%??????????5???????????%5????????????????????????????U,)????????????????????????????????????????????????????+?a9?????e?)???????)?????????)?????d()%???????????U,)??????????????????)??????????????????)?????????????????)?????)9?????e????????)?????????????????()??????????????????????)????)???e?????????????)Q??????????????????)???????????????????????????????%5?e?????????)?????????????]???????) ?()%????????????????)???????????????????? ????
?????????%?????????????????????????????????)M?????? ?????? ??????)9???()I??????????????????????????????)%?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????5???? ???????5??)Q???5 ?e??????M??????Q???)M??????????????????????)?????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????)?????????????????????????)???????????????????U,??????)??????????????????)%??????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????()?????????????????????????????(???????????????????????????????)????????!??????????????????????)????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????)???????????????) ???? ????
????????????????5?)????q
??????????M5?????????????()??????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????5???????????)????????????????????????????????)???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????)?????????????????????????????????t((0