Rural England Prosperity Fund 2025 now open to Surrey farmers
Published 21 May 2025
Advice and support, Funding and grants
The Rural England Prosperity Fund 2025 is now open. It means farmers in parts of Surrey can secure a six-figure cash injection as part of wider efforts to boost growth in the county.
Surrey County Council is offering capital grants of up to ยฃ120,000 to support innovative ideas to drive diversification in agriculture.
The aim is to help farmers in the districts of Tandridge, Guildford and Waverley to generate new income streams while increasing the long-term sustainability of their estates.
Ideas could include establishing farm shops, developing agritourism, generating sustainable energy or cultivating new crops and livestock.
Applications can be made direct via the Business Surrey website, and close at the end of June 2025. .
It will be a competitive process. And the focus is on supporting a small number of large-scale, high-impact projects in eligible areas. Match funding is encouraged though not mandatory.
Matt Furniss, Surrey County Councilโs Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Economic Growth, said: โAs committed custodians of much of Surreyโs fantastic countryside, farmers play a key role in everyoneโs way of life, producing the food we eat, managing our unique landscapes and creating employment in our rural communities.
โThis fund is intended to support a small number of farmers to diversify and explore new commercial opportunities, supporting them to generate more income while supporting broader prosperity in our rural communities.
โIt forms part of our wider commitment to drive sustainable growth across Surrey while ensuring no one is left behind.โ
What is the Rural England Prosperity Fund?
The Rural England Prosperity Fund 2025 is integrated into the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It is government funding which supports productivity and prosperity in places that need it most.
In Surrey, this means the Rural England funding is only available in three of the 11 districts. These are Guildford, Tandridge and Waverley.
The Rural Fund is a rural top-up to UKSPF allocations. And it supports activities that specifically address the particular challenges rural areas face.
The Rural Fund sits alongside existing Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) schemes, including the:
The Surrey element of the Rural England Prosperity Fund is a great opportunity for farmers and landowners to progress plans to drive growth. If you have any questions then contact the Business Surrey team.
But we recognise that some rural business owners may not be eligible. Or they may need additional help, either via email, phone or face-to-face.
Lots of information about grants and funding passes through my inbox and this is an opportunity for me to share that with you. This month the funds range from hyper-local to national with some for general small businesses or with a sector focus.
Iโve shared an overview but also links for you to double check the eligibility and requirements of each individual grant. Note the closing dates and times, as some are very specific!
RTO Catapult Grant Scheme – Innovate UK
Launched in April this is an easy to access, easy to administer grant from Innovate UK for ยฃ15,000. Apply quickly as the pot ran out by September last year when launched at a similar time. Could be used for product testing, development work or if you need technical expertise to facilitate feasibility.
Reigate & Banstead Thriving Communities Match Fund
Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) organisations whose projects help communities in Reigate & Banstead to thrive can now apply for grants between ยฃ2,000 and ยฃ10,000 from a pot of ยฃ50,000.
If you work with local organisations whose projects help our communities to thrive, please encourage them to check the fund criteria and apply if they are eligible.
This is funding to drive growth across Surrey. The Surrey Economic Growth Fund has been created by pooling a range of public and investment streams, such as UK Shared Prosperity Funding from government, into one Economic Growth Fund.
The Fund is administered by Surrey County Council and is now open for applications across three funding streams: Business Growth Grants, Future Surrey Fund, and Innovation Spaces Fund. The Council is seeking bold, innovative ideas that will drive sustainable economic growth across the county and align with Surreyโs strategic priorities.
Closing date: the current round of applications is open until 31 May 2025. Other rounds may follow.
Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Competition โ Innovate UK
Innovate UK has opened a new round of its Accelerated Knowledge Transfer Competition (AKT4) offering support for projects aimed at addressing drug and alcohol addiction. The initiative will fund short, targeted collaborations between eligible research institutions and business partners.
Each project can receive a grant of up to ยฃ35,000 to support interventions that develop or evaluate innovation with potential impact on treatment, recovery, harm reduction or prevention for those affected by addiction.
From now until August, 2 business owners a month will win ยฃ1,000 and mentoring from Adobe Express and Enterprise Nation.
All you have to do is share a creation you have made by using the templates in Adobe Express. It could be a social post, flyer or logo for your brand, upload it and complete the application for to be in with a chance of winning.
The AXA Startup Angel Competition has been created to support entrepreneurs hoping to realise their business ambitions. The contest offers a variety of prizes to would-be businesses from across the UK to help them through the next phase of their startup journey.
There are six opportunities to win in 2025. Two winners will receive the top prize of ยฃ25,000 to fund their business idea. These winners will also be awarded mentoring from the AXA Startup Angels and business insurance for a year.
There are also four runners-up prizes featuring over ยฃ18,000 of media, mentoring and exposure. Each runner-up will receive a profile on their business in The Standard, mentoring with a member of The Standard team, plus VIP access to SME XPO 2026.
NatWest has announced a ยฃ1 million competition to support small business growth in the UK. The NatWest Accelerator Pitch invites entrepreneurs to submit a 60-second video outlining how financial support would aid their expansion.
Selected entrants will compete in live events, starting with a final in Manchester in July, followed by a London event later in 2025. Five finalists at each event will deliver a 10-minute pitch to a panel of industry experts, who will assess their business models, growth strategies and the potential impact of the prize money.
The competition is open to UK businesses with up to ยฃ1 million revenue, registered in the UK and trading for between one to five years.
Closing date: For Manchester, the closing date for entries is 5pm 25 May 2025.
Future Leaders Fellowship (FLF) support talented people in universities, businesses, and other research and innovation environments.
They also allow universities, research institutes, independent research organisations and businesses to develop their most talented early career researchers and innovators or to attract new people to their organisations.
The aim of this competition is to:
Support ambitious research and innovation to tackle difficult and novel challenges.
Support excellence in innovation, across interdisciplinary boundaries and sectors.
Develop, retain, and attract the next wave of research and innovation leaders.
Working with a host organisation a Future Leaders Fellow will receive at least four years of funding to pursue an ambitious programme of innovation.
Applications will open on 23 June 2025 and close on 5 November 2025 at 11am.
More information can be accessed at the IUK website.
The UK Games Fund Content Fund
The fund offers financial support to UK-based independent studios developing commercial games-for-entertainment. Backed by the UK Government, the initiative aims to help companies scale up, attract investment and generate employment in the creative industries.
Grants will range from ยฃ50,000 to ยฃ150,000. The funding can be used to cover staff and contractor costs directly involved in hands-on development activity.
The scheme targets established games studios operating in the UK. Applicants must be able to demonstrate how the funding would provide clear additionality to their business growth plans and facilitate further investment.
Closing date: expressions of interest can be made at any time
Homes England and Octopus Real Estate have launched the second phase of the Greener Homes Alliance, providing discounted development finance to small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders. The initiative supports the construction of energy-efficient homes across England.
A total of ยฃ150 million is available. Loans range from ยฃ2 million to ยฃ20 million. Interest rate reductions of up to 2% are available for developers meeting environmental and social criteria. Eligible applicants include SME housebuilders and developers operating in England.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Co-operative and Community Finance is offering loans of between ยฃ10,000 and ยฃ85,000 for new or existing co-operatives across the UK to assist with the expansion, setup, or development of a co-operative enterprise. โฏ
Loans will only be made to economically viable enterprises that are democratically owned and controlled organisations registered in the UK.
Closing date: Applications can be made at any time
Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Grants
The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme provides grants to farmers and land managers in the Surrey Hills for one-off projects to make improvements to the natural environment, climate change mitigation, cultural heritage and public access on their land.
The Workplace Charging Scheme provides support for organisations towards the cost of installing up to 40 electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their sites.
The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT), capped at a maximum of:
ยฃ350 per socket
40 sockets across all sites per applicant โ for instance, if you want to install them at 40 sites, you will have 1 socket available per site
That’s all for this month. Good Luck and let me know how you get on!
Renรฉe
Business support in Surrey
If you can’t see anything in this month’s roundup that suits your specific needs, check out our Support Directory, or contact our team of experts via our Business Support Form.
Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on funding, business news, events and support for all Surrey businesses.
Economic Growth Fund webinar now live
Published 8 May 2025
Advice and support, Funding and grants
Interested in applying to the Surrey Economic Growth Fund? A webinar providing top tips to support your bid is now available to watch.
Businesses, employer representative groups and partner organisations are all invited to apply for investment from the new Economic Growth Fund.
Up to ยฃ7 million is available for this financial year. Grants will be awarded to those demonstrating how they will boost economic outcomes for the people, places and businesses of the county.
More than 110 people attended the Economic Growth Fund webinar held today (8 May, 2025).
Applications for the first round are now open, closing at the end of May. Apply via the formย on the Business Surrey website.
Watch the Economic Growth Fund webinar
Watch the webinar in full by clicking on the play button below.
Business Growth Grantsย support companies of all sizes to scale up and create jobs. Match funding of between ยฃ10,000 and ยฃ50,000, covering 50% of project costsย is available.
Theย Innovation Spaces Fundย focuses on physical infrastructure, such as training hubs, collaborative workspaces, and testing facilities. Minimum bid of ยฃ50,000.
Theย Future Surrey Fundย is open to anyone, including partners โ such as employer representative groups, local authorities, research institutions and schools. Applications should focus on innovative ideas that can scale while delivering economic impact in Surrey.
To apply, youโll need to demonstrate how your bid delivers against the three priorities in the refreshed economic strategy. These are workforce and skills; business growth; and economic infrastructure in Surreyโs communities.
Thereโs a two step process for all three areas, starting with an expression of interest.
Funding to boost growth for Surreyโs businesses and economy
Published 1 April 2025
Business news, Funding and grants
Funding to boost growth is now available from Surrey County Council with millions available for innovative ideas to enhance the economy.
Businesses, employer representative groups and partner organisations are all invited to apply for investment from the new Economic Growth Fund.
Up to ยฃ7 million is available for this financial year. Grants will be awarded to those demonstrating how they will boost economic outcomes for the people, places and businesses of the county.
Applications for the first round are now open, closing at the end of May. Apply via the form on the Business Surrey website.
The launch comes as the Council also publishes Surreyโs Economic Growth Strategy 2025 to 2035, which sets out the long-term focus and priorities to drive sustainable growth in the county for the next decade.
Business Growth Grants support companies of all sizes to scale up and create jobs. Match funding of between ยฃ10,000 and ยฃ50,000, covering 50% of project costs is available.
The Innovation Spaces Fund focuses on physical infrastructure, such as training hubs, collaborative workspaces, and testing facilities. Minimum bid of ยฃ50,000.
The Future Surrey Fund is open to anyone, including partners – such as employer representative groups, local authorities, research institutions and schools. Applications should focus on innovative ideas that can scale while delivering economic impact in Surrey.
To apply, you’ll need to demonstrate how your bid delivers against the three priorities in the refreshed economic strategy. These are workforce and skills; business growth; and economic infrastructure in Surreyโs communities.
There’s a two step process for all three areas, starting with an expression of interest.
Matt Furniss, Surrey County Councilโs Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Economic Growth, said:
โThis is a fantastic opportunity for businesses, training providers and partners to secure immediate investment in ideas to drive growth in Surrey.
“We know that Surrey has a strong economy, contributing ยฃ50 billion a year to UK PLC. But the refreshed economic strategy highlights several challenges around start-ups, high-growth businesses, retaining talent and an increasing number of people out of work.
“The new Economic Growth Fund is one of the ways we can tackle those challenges while delivering benefits to the people, places and businesses across the county. Our ambition is simple: we want to position Surrey as one of the UKโs leading regional economies while ensuring No One is Left Behind.”
Chris Hurren, Chair of the Surrey Business Leaders Forum, said:
“Growth in Surrey, like much of the country, has slowed in recent years. We can only tackle the challenges by working together while focusing on the needs of businesses and outcomes for our people and places.
โThe refreshed Economic Strategy, which is evidence-led and developed in partnership with businesses, employer representative groups, academia and other key stakeholders, is very much the starting point of our journey.
โTogether, weโre determined to drive forward this ambitious agenda and deliver our ambition to benefit our residents, businesses and wider communities.โ
Renรฉeโs Round-Up of Grants and Funding – Marchย
Published 28 March 2025
Funding and grants
Welcome to the first of Renรฉe’s Grants and Funding Roundups. Each month the Business Surrey team receives a wealth of information about new grants and funding.
We want to share these with you in the most helpful way, so Enterprise Mentor, Renรฉe will collate and summarise them into a monthly roundup. Check back regularly (or sign up to our monthly newsletter) to be kept informed of both national and local grants and funding that could benefit your business.
For each item, Renรฉe has shared an overview but also links for you to double check the eligibility and requirements of each individual grant. Note the closing dates and times, as some are very specific!
The Surrey Economic Growth Fund
This is funding to drive growth across Surrey. The Surrey Economic Growth Fund has been created by pooling a range of public and investment streams, such asย UK Shared Prosperity Fundingย from government, into one Economic Growth Fund.
The Fund is administered by Surrey County Council and is now open for applications across three funding streams: Business Growth Grants, Future Surrey Fund, and Innovation Spaces Fund. The Council is seeking bold, innovative ideas that will drive sustainable economic growth across the county and align with Surreyโs strategic priorities.
Closing date: the current round of applications is open until 31 May 2025. Other rounds may follow.
Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) grants
The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme provides grants to farmers and land managers in the Surrey Hills for one-off projects to make improvements to the natural environment, climate change mitigation, cultural heritage and public access on their land.
Closing date : has been extended but to be confirmed
B Corp: Creating Positive Impacts through Business Competition
Channel 4, in partnership with B Lab UK, has launched a competition to support B Corporations (businesses that are certified for their social impact) by providing winners with commercial airtime. The initiative aims to help businesses highlight their social and environmental impact to a wider audience.
Up to five B Corps will each receive ยฃ100,000 worth of advertising spend on Channel 4. The funding is intended to assist businesses in showcasing their purpose-driven work while reaching new customers.
Through the F100 Growth Fund, Sky and BEO are supporting Black entrepreneurs to grow their businesses. The most innovative businesses applying will be able to pitch for funding up to ยฃ15,000 and also be offered a free Sky Business broadband and phone package for 12 months. Additionally, they will take part in a tailored 10-week programme to help them scale their operations through a series of workshops, mentorship, supply chain support and investment readiness support.
The Elevator of Dreams campaign allows individuals to submit a short pitch via a video doorbell outside the Founders Room at the Virgin Hotels London in Shoreditch. Selected pitches will receive feedback from Richard Branson and Simon Squibb, with insights shared through their social media channels. Available prizes include:
One pitch will be selected every week to win ยฃ1,000 that will be supplied by HelpBnk.
At the Judges’ discretion, one pitch during the campaign duration may be chosen to receive the following prizes instead of the ยฃ1,000:
Entrepreneurs Getaway (includes a one-night stay at Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch in a standard room, no blackout dates).
Virgin StartUp mentor access (30 minutes of mentoring with Simon Squibb, date and time TBD).
Closing Date: 17 April 2025 (subject to extension beyond this closing date)
All submissions must be made through the Ring doorbell at the Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch. More information is available at the Elevator Of Dreams website.
Innovate UK โ BridgeAI Competition
Innovate UKโs BridgeAI competition is for grants between ยฃ25,000 – ยฃ50,000 for innovation projects that address a business challenge or opportunity within one of their challenge holder organisations:
The winning projects will be used to develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) driven proof concepts. More details can be found in the Innovate UK competition brief.
Tranzfuser is intended to support new UK games graduates, taking ideas from concept and prototyping through to publishing.
Teams will have the opportunity to pitch from the UK Games Fund for up to ยฃ25,000 of grant support for the commercial development of their game. All teams will receive ยฃ7,500 prize during the course of the competition.
Tranzfuser is specifically aimed at teams who wish to explore the possibility of establishing an indie development business. Teams must have between three and six members. Applicants may be skilled developers, but need support in the business development side of setting up a studio.
The AXA Startup Angel Competition has been created to support entrepreneurs hoping to realise their business ambitions. The contest offers a variety of prizes to would-be businesses from across the UK to help them through the next phase of their startup journey.
There are six opportunities to win in 2025. Two winners will receive the top prize of ยฃ25,000 to fund their business idea. These winners will also be awarded mentoring from the AXA Startup Angels and business insurance for a year.
There are also four runners-up prizes featuring over ยฃ18,000 of media, mentoring and exposure. Each runner-up will receive a profile on their business in The Standard, mentoring with a member of The Standard team, plus VIP access to SME XPO 2026.
Future Leaders Fellowship (FLF) support talented people in universities, businesses, and other research and innovation environments. They also allow universities, research institutes, independent research organisations and businesses to develop their most talented early career researchers and innovators or to attract new people to their organisations.
The aim of this competition is to:
Support ambitious research and innovation to tackle difficult and novel challenges.
Support excellence in innovation, across interdisciplinary boundaries and sectors.
Develop, retain, and attract the next wave of research and innovation leaders.
Working with a host organisation a Future Leaders Fellow will receive at least four yearsโ of funding to pursue an ambitious programme of innovation.
Applications will open on 23 June 2025 and close on 5 November 2025 at 11am.
The Workplace Charging Scheme provides support for organisations towards the cost of installing up to 40 electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their sites.
The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT), capped at a maximum of:
ยฃ350 per socket
40 sockets across all sites per applicant โ for instance, if you want to install them at 40 sites, you will have 1 socket available per site
If you can’t see anything in this roundup that suits your specific needs, check out our Support Directory, or contact our team of experts via our Business Support Form.
Sign up to our newsletter for regular updates on funding, business news, events and support for all Surrey businesses.
Made Smarter expands to the South East to drive UK manufacturing forwardย with digital technologies, innovation and skills
Published 18 March 2025
Advice and support, Funding and grants
The Made Smarter Adoption programme is set to revolutionize the manufacturing landscape for SMEs and makers in the South East of England.
After operating successfully in the North West since 2019, and further expanding to cover the North East, Humber and the West Midlands, it is now rolling-out to the South East from April 2025.
This initiative is targeted at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have a manufacturing element to their business. It aims to provide them with the tools and support they need to embrace digital technologies so they can improve productivity, boost their bottom line and achieve long term sustainable growth.
The Made Smarter Adoption programme โ backed by world-renowned businesses and funded by UK government, is focused on digital transformation delivered by specialist advisors. Applicants can get access to a range of personalised support to help them make everyday improvements to their operations and improve their competitiveness.
Advice, skills and workforce support, plus funding
Made Smarter can support businesses in a number of ways, including:
Funding: up to 50% match funding available to help business implement new technologies
Skills: training and development opportunities for those working in the sector. This includes workshops, mentoring and expert advice
Sustainability: promotion and adoption of energy-efficient technologies to reduce environmental impact and enhance reputation with customers.
Coverage in the South East
The South East programme covers a wide area, with Surrey County Council acting as the lead and coordinator. The regions included are Berkshire, Brighton & Hove, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Medway, Oxfordshire, Solent, and Surrey.
Manufacturing SMEs and makers within the South East area of coverage are encouraged to register their interest now in preparation for when the programme launches in April 2025. Once the programme is live, the Made Smarter team will contact registered businesses to start the process with a free, personalised assessment carried out by a Technology Adoption Specialist advisor.
By leveraging the support and resources offered by the Made Smarter Adoption programme, SME manufacturers and makers can boost their productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability, securing their future in the digital age.
Business Surrey is Surrey County Councilโs service providing free and accessible support for all businesses across Surrey.
Whatever your business, our experts are here to help you succeed by providing access to quality resources, expert local knowledge and professional insight. Our offer incudes:
An easy-to-useย support directoryย with more than 120 national and regional schemes.
You can also register to receive our regular newsletter, packed with the latest news on funding, events, free training and support for all Surrey businesses. We’ll be including regular Made Smarter updates in the newsletter and on this website.
Two exciting new opportunities for creative businesses with CoSTAR network
Published 4 March 2025
Advice and support, Funding and grants, Innovation
CoSTAR network, the national R&D network serving the UKโs world-leading gaming, TV, film and performance sectors, has put out the call for creative businesses to apply to two new exciting opportunities: CoSTAR Ideate: Growth Lab and Residency, and CoSTAR Live Lab.
CoSTAR Ideate – creative technology
The CoSTAR Ideate call is open to 24 early growth companies in the creative technology sector. The programme will deliver enterprise and funding finance support from four of the new CoSTAR Network Labs.
The 24 successful companies will each benefit from a 5-month residency at one of the four CoSTAR Labs, (including desk and lab space). They will also receive business development guidance, lab time to enable product development, access to expert technical support and resources, and access to a community of like-minded start-ups and entrepreneurs from the creative technology sector.โฏย And there are no fees to pay for any of this support.
CoSTAR Live Lab, is inviting companies, technologists, and creatives to apply for their call to help shape the future of live performance.
While based at the world-renowned Production Park in Yorkshire โ where icons like Beyoncรฉ, Metallica and The Rolling Stones prepare for their world tours โ this call is open to applications from across the UK.
This call invites applications from teams with creative R&D projects focussed on the live performance sector, looking for the opportunity to accelerate and advance their innovation activity.
The following support packages are available for the successful applicants:
up to two intensive one-week development sprints at the CoSTAR Live Lab. This includes on-boarding and orientation by the technical team.
research staff will guide and collaborate with you during the tenancy, with further ad-hoc support possible outside of the sprint windows.
cash funding of up to ยฃ13,000 to contribute towards costs in undertaking the project, such as contracting performers, interaction design, editing, consumables etc.
if a project requires a period of residency (two or more days) and if travel distance is more than two hours from that lab, a company stipend of up to ยฃ4,000 is available to support travel and accommodation.ย
To find out more about the CoSTAR Live Lab call, watch the recording of the information webinar here.
Application timings
Both calls are open to applicants across the UK.
Applications for CoSTAR Live Lab close on Thursday 20 March, 2025, and the CoSTAR Ideate call closes on Monday 24 March 2025, so click the links to find out more information and apply today.
Further support for Surrey businesses
Business Surrey isย Surrey County Councilโs service providing free and accessible support for all businesses across Surrey. Our team of experts can provide independent and impartial advice on exploring opportunities and how to tackle various challenges.
Whatever your business, our experts are here to help you succeed by providing access to quality resources, expert local knowledge and professional insight.
Our offer incudes:
an easy-to-useย support directoryย with more than 120 national and regional schemes.
Funding for new apprenticeships now available to Surrey businesses
Published 12 February 2025
Advice and support, Funding and grants
Businesses can grow their workforce and boost productivity in just a few clicks by getting an apprenticeship funded by Surrey County Council.
As part of the Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Scheme, small and medium enterprises across the county can get fully funded support to train local talent.
Apprenticeships are widely recognised as a cost-effective way to recruit, improving diversity and filling skills gaps. In time, they can also help businesses grow, improve employee retention and support the wider economy.
Funding is available to pay for the training of dozens of new apprenticeships across the county.
It is open to all businesses in Surrey and allocated on a first come, first served basis โ meaning those interested should apply swiftly via the Surrey County Council website.
For those unsure of the process, a free 45-minute webinar will be hosted by the Councilโs Business Surrey service on February 26. Reserve your space today to discover more about modern-day apprenticeships and how businesses can access funding.
One Surrey organisation that has benefited already from the scheme is Sight for Surrey, a charity that provides specialist support for people in Surrey with sensory loss. ย
Diane Smith, Head of Adult Services says:
โWe have used the levy to support internal succession for those wanting to pursue a career in Social Work from the Deaf Community. More recently we used the levy to support three new apprentices in roles that are recognised to be under resourced across the sector nationally as well as in Surrey.
โThe process of completing the Levy Transfer scheme was simple and smooth due to the responsive support from the Council.
โOur Deaf Services Social Worker has recently graduated from Kingston University and our three new apprentices are settled and progressing well in their new careers! All making an impact for residents of the Surrey community.โ
The call comes in National Apprenticeship Week (February 10 to 16), which is a national celebration of the opportunities presented by the training schemes.
96% of employers report benefits to their business
employers make a net gain of between ยฃ2,500 and ยฃ18,000 per apprentice during their training period
80% of businesses see a significant increase in employee retention
Almost two-thirds of all UK apprenticeships in the last year have been funded by the apprenticeship levy.
This is a pool of funding made available by large employers, such as the Council, to make apprenticeships more accessible to SMEs.
The Council wants as many local residents and businesses to benefit from the scheme as possible โ which is why the online process can be completed in a matter of minutes.
Matt Furniss, the Councilโs Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport, and Economic Growth, emphasised the council’s commitment to providing opportunities for all. He said:โApprenticeships are a proven cost-effective way to recruit which benefit businesses and employees, as well as the broader economy.
โAs an organisation we are committed to providing opportunities to all of our residents, which includes creating a skilled workforce for the future.
โThe levy transfer scheme is a fantastic way for SMEs to access funding to develop and grow their workforce โ which is why I encourage them to discover more about this fantastic opportunity.”
Our team of experts can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more via our business support form.
You can also register to receive our newsletter, packed with the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses.
Decarbonise your business with free support for Surrey SMEs
Published 14 October 2024
Advice and support, Funding and grants
Free support for Surrey small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to decarbonise their business is now available from Surrey County Council.
Companies with fewer than 250 employees can sign up for the support. It’s only available to those based in the boroughs of Woking, Guildford, Waverley, Reigate and Banstead, Spelthorne and Surrey Heath.
Find out how to cut your energy costs, calculate your carbon footprint and get your business to Net Zero. You could even access a loan to go green!
Scroll down to see the free support which your Surrey business could access.
A free business decarbonisation course is now up and running for eligible Surrey businesses.
The course will:
introduce a bit of business context relating to climate change and carbon literacy,
help you understand where your business’ emissions lay,
enable you to calculate your business carbon footprint;
help you become more sustainable, reduce your energy costs and cut your carbon footprint
help you define your business path to Net Zero, set targets and leverage your efforts to make your business more competitive and your products and services more desirable
empower you to adapt and build resilience to address climate change
Courses are available in person and online.
The in-person courses are:
Thursday 17 October 2024 at Guildford Borough Council
Wednesday 13 November 2024 at Surrey Heath Borough Council
Wednesday 27 November at Waverley Borough Council
Wednesday 22 January 2025 in Reigate and Banstead at Surrey County Council headquarters
Thursday 13 February 2025 in Woking
Thursday 6 March 2025 at Spelthorne Business Hub
On demand online courses will be made available from late October.
Ever wondered how much carbon your Surrey business uses?
As part of the decarbonisation course, you can find out! You’ll be given a one year licence to access and use the Climate Essential carbon calculator tool.
This will enable you to calculate your base line carbon footprint. Plus, you can see where you can make adjustments and gains to further reduce it.
It will also allow you to invest to cut your energy bills, improve your premises and be more efficient.
Loans range from ยฃ5,000 to ยฃ15,000. It can can cover up to 50% of the total project cost. You will need to fund the rest.
Projects could include lighting and heating upgrades, installing solar panels, replacing old energy hungry equipment and switching to electric vehicles.
Boost for UK startups as two key investment schemes are extended
Published 2 October 2024
Advice and support, Funding and grants
Startup funding schemes, the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and the Venture Capital Trust (VCT) scheme have been extended by ten years to 5 April 2035.
Government extends two leading investment schemes aimed at startups
Thousands of entrepreneurs and startups are set to benefit from the extension of two leading government investment schemes targeted at helping startup businesses get off the ground and grow.
The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and the Venture Capital Trust (VCT) scheme were both set to end on 6 April 2025 but will instead run until 5 April 2035.
The schemes are designed to encourage investment into new or young companies through tax-relief incentives, encouraging innovation, creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.
The two startup investment schemes at-a-glance
Both schemes offer incentives to investors of up to 30% upfront income tax relief and an exemption from capital gains tax on any profits made after the sale of shares.
Launched in 1994, the EIS scheme offers investors loss relief as long as shares are held for at least two years.
VCTs, which were then introduced in 1995, are companies listed on the UK stock exchange. They invest in early-stage trading companies on behalf of investors. Dividends received from VCTs are tax-free.
Since the launch of the EIS in 1994 the two schemes have delivered significant impact and success with over ยฃ41 billion raised to date.
What’s in it for startups?
This ten-year extension will benefit startups and help provide access to startup funding by providing investors with the confidence to continue to invest into high-risk, early-stage businesses. Early stage investment of this type is a vital element in supporting long-term growth and the development of the economy on both a regional and national scale.
Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service providing free and accessible support for all businesses in Surrey, including startups.
Our team of experts can provide independent and impartial advice on accessing startup funding and grants, as well as other sources of support for startups. Contact the team for free via our Business Support Form.
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