There are many ways we can help you, even if starting up still seems a way off.
Our website is a great place to begin: we offer a business plan guide to download when you’re ready, market reports as well as handy online guides and articles, video tutorials and podcasts. Take part in our webinars to hone your start-up skills – from how to handle the legal requirements to getting your market research right.
Plus use our Planning to Start tool to guide you through the essential steps of starting up. It takes just 10 minutes to complete and then we can then use the details you give us to create your action plan, complete with links to relevant information and support.
We’ll also recommend free webinars to help you hone your skills and may refer you to relevant support from our partners.
A business adviser from your local office will also get in touch to see how else we can help at this stage and signpost you to a wide range of other support across Scotland.
With our help, you could be in business sooner than you imagined.
Maintaining a business or moving up a gear can be more daunting than starting up, so our support continues and grows with your business.
We know that your time is in short supply, so we offer 1:1 advice at a time and day to suit you. Together, you and your business adviser can tailor a strategic action plan to your ambitions. Need targeted advice on HR, Restructuring, Innovation, Exporting or Digital Marketing? Your adviser can help with that too. And if you need more specialist input, we can connect you with other sources of support.
Use our resources, support and tools to learn new skills, create opportunities and gain confidence.
We run around 3,500 events each year across Scotland, with webinars on topics from bookkeeping to social media.
- For free, comprehensive business intelligence and market research, you can turn to our Information Service.
- Browse our online A-Z of over 100 market reports or request a free report if your market sector isn’t covered.
- Our handy guides explain how to create a business plan, digital marketing strategy, HR, intellectual property and other essentials that can help your business through these challenging times.
Get in touch with your local Business Gateway office today.
Setting up a website is a great start, but DigitalBoost can help you to make the most of your online presence.
Tap into our free local webinars, 1:1 expert adviser support and online tools and tutorials to help you improve your digital performance. Our DigitalBoost guides have been downloaded 20,000 times and some 1,200 workshops have together attracted more than 14,000 business people.
A DigitalBoost HealthCheck can pinpoint your digital strengths, where you could do more and how we can help. Take five minutes now to fill in our form and discover how to give your business a real boost.
Your local Business Gateway office can offer free support to any business considering making redundancies.
Our advisers can help you look at your business challenges and then help you make the next practical steps. Along with that we can introduce you to PACE – Partnership Action for Continuing Employment.
Local Support
Business Gateway Renfrewshire has a wealth of free expertise, advice and information to support your business, whether you are thinking about starting a business, have recently started a business or are already running a business.
Planning To Start
Find out what support and tools are available to you by answering a few simple questions with our Planning To Start tool. Then get contact from your local office to take your business idea forward.
Staff training
Our Business Training Support Scheme can pay up to 50%of staff costs to help companies train staff in line with growth objectives.
Renfrewshire Trusted Trader Scheme
The Renfrewshire Trusted Trader Scheme helps consumers choose a reliable trader by publishing a directory of local businesses that have allowed consumers to comment and rate their work. Visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/trustedtraders to find out more.
New Start Scheme
New Start relief is offered to new build properties. The relief can only be granted for new properties built on or after 1st April 2013 but prior to 1 April 2017. Up to 100% relief is available for a maximum of 18 months. This includes 3 months empty property relief.
Intermediaries
Well connected business networks are valuable to any new or growing business. We work in partnership with a number of local organisations that can help your business, including Renfrewshire Chamber, Federation of Small Business (FSB), banks, lawyers and accountants. Talk to an adviser today to find out how our networks can help.
Small Business Bonus Scheme
From 1 April 2016, the Scottish Government will continue with the existing Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS). If you are receiving SBBS your relief will automatically transfer into 2016/17. If you have not applied under the previous scheme, contact us. Properties with a rateable value up to including £10,000 may be entitled to 100% reduction in their business rates. Properties with a rateable value of between £10,001 and £12,000 will receive a 50% reduction and properties with a rateable value between £12,001 and £18,000 will receive a 25% reduction. This will allow a business with two or more properties with a combined rateable value of under £35,000 to qualify for relief. The relief would be 25% for properties with an individual rateable value less than £18,000. Visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/2226/Business-rates-relief to find out more.
The Women's Business Centre
The Women’s Business Centre is a digital platform designed to support women at the pre start-up and start up stages of their business journey. Operated by Women’s Enterprise Scotland, the website is free to access and offers dedicated, needs-based content on starting and growing a business, including stories, encouragement and top tips from leading business owners across Scotland.
Supplier Development Programme (SDP)
SDP is a public sector partnership which delivers a variety of FREE tender training, via classroom style workshops working in conjunction with Local Authorities across Scotland, digitally via webinar and also provides a range of online resources connecting businesses with the Scottish public sector. Registration for SDP events is free for Scottish SMEs, and will connect your business with your local authority’s SDP Rep who can offer your business additional support.
Invest in Renfrewshire can provide financial support to small to medium sized enterprises to help them start up and grow.
Growth New Start Fund
We can provide assistance of up to £1,000 towards the start up costs of new businesses that are able to demonstrate growth potential. The grant can support the costs of commercial rent, IT or website development.
Growth Company Development Fund
Funding of up to 50% to a maximum of £10,000 is available to help businesses meet specific business growth objectives. It can support capital expenditure, property expansion/improvements, exhibiting at a national trade show or the costs of developing innovative products or processes.
Social Enterprise Small Grants Fund
We can provide grant funding of up to £5,000 to support Renfrewshire’s social enterprises and social economy organisations become more enterprising or to support feasibility work for development projects.
Business Loans Scotland
Business Loans Scotland (formerly operating as West of Scotland Loan Fund in Renfrewshire) offers secured loan funding up to a maximum of £100k to small and medium sized enterprises) which can be used for working capital, equipment or property.
The fund operates alongside commercial lending agencies, who are expected to provide 50% of the funding package.
Repayable Grant
This fund aims to support the creation of new businesses and help existing small businesses to grow and create jobs.
We can offer unsecured funding of between of between £1,000 and £5,000 to help with start-up costs, purchasing assets and property improvements.
To find out more about the above support available from Renfrewshire Council visit www.investinrenfrewshire.com
See how local property services and funding can help you and your business.
Empty Property
From 1 April 2016, if your property (standard commercial) is empty you will have to pay 50% business rates for the first three months. After these three months you will be entitled to 10% relief. For industrial properties you will not have to pay business rates for the first six months. After these six months you will be entitled to 10% relief. For listed buildings, properties in the hands of certain trustees, or properties with an RV of less than 1,700 you will get 100% relief and will not have to pay business rates.
Fresh Start Scheme
Under the Fresh Start scheme, if a shop, office, hotel, pub or restaurant with an RV under £65,000 has been empty for 12 months or more, and is then occupied as the same, a 50% relief can be applied for 12 months if no other reduction is being made.
Mandatory relief
Registered charities and amateur sports clubs can apply for up to 80% relief on any non-domestic property which is used wholly or mainly for that charity or club. If you qualify for this relief we may remove the remaining 20% of the bill by awarding discretionary relief.
Discretionary relief
Relief of up to 100% may be available for properties which are used by certain organisations which are not run for profit, for example, sports, theatre, arts, clubs and so on. It is possible for certain licensed clubs to receive discretionary relief.
Disabled persons relief
You may be eligible for up to 100% relief if you provide residential accommodation for the care of people who are ill or if you provide training, welfare services or workshops for disabled people.
Useful links to other organisations that might be able to help with you and your business.
Supplier Development Programme
The Supplier Development Programme delivers a range of specialist business support activities including advice, training and information with the aim of assisting businesses to become more capable of accessing and competing for contracts. For free registration visit www.sdpscotland.co.uk
Renfrewshire Council
www.investinrenfrewshire.com Call 0300 300 1180 or email econdev@renfrewshire.gov.uk
Find your nearest office
Business Gateway Paisley
27 High Street
Paisley
PA1 2AF
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday
09:00 to 17:00