UK businesses are facing uncertain times, with Brexit and Covid impacting operations in many ways – reduced / uncertain demand, capacity constraints, more challenging access to funding, and new regulatory requirements, among others. Resources here are aimed at helping you navigate the current climate.
Funding
- Funding in a crisis – “Let’s Talk Business” is a helpful guide, created by UK Finance, to help business owners think about fundraising in the uncertain environment caused by Brexit and Covid. Key points below:
Before you start, let’s TALK business
- Take time to think about how your customers and suppliers could be affected by any upcoming changes, so you are prepared for the potential impact of these.
- Ask your bank or finance provider early on if you think you might need additional finance, or changes in your current facilities. There’s plenty of support available and it can be quicker and easier than you might expect. The earlier you engage with providers the better.
- Look into alternative finance options. Most applications are successful, but if your first choice doesn’t work out there are many different providers out there.
- Know where to go for more information to help your business. Whether you’re looking to export for the first time or wondering how to manage changes to your supply chain, the information on this site aims to provide what you need.
- Business financial support – overview from the British Business Bank of the cashflow challenges faced by UK small businesses and the many government support schemes available to them to help
- Government Covid support search tool – use this tool from Gov.uk to find out what financial support schemes you may be eligible for, make your workplace Covid-secure, and check if you can claim a grant if you are self-employed
- Venture Pulse – KPMG publishes quarterly update on the state of the venture capital market in a Venture Pulse report, which currently covers Covid and Brexit
- Covid and startups – report from European start ups that covers impact of Covid-19 crisis on startups in Europe and ways to navigate it
Operations
- Brexit actions – use this interactive Brexit checker from Gov.uk to get a personalised list of actions for you, your business and your family
- Preparing for Brexit – a guide from the British Business Bank on how you should prepare your business for Brexit, focused on practical considerations
- Covid resources for entrepreneurs – a list of helpful articles and resources curated by Playfair Capital
- Surviving and thrive through the pandemic – this curated list of articles from the UBS offers inspiration and practical ideas from global entrepreneurs on how to not only survive, but also thrive during the pandemic
- Pandemic risk assessment tool – an interactive tool built by Grant Thornton to help you identify risks and find the right response
- Local area Covid support – a helpful source of Covid-19 information and support available in your local area across public and private sectors resource, put together by the ScaleUp Institute and continuously updated
Entrepreneur Stories
- Female entrepreneurs innovating through the pandemic – in conversation with UBS – video by Vicki Saunders, the inspirational founder of SheEO, introducing how an extraordinary group of female entrepreneurs keep innovating through the pandemic
- Founder tips – Female founders share their tips on fundraising during COVID
- Growing through the pandemic – an inspiring UKBAA sponsored video of a female entrepreneurs offering insight on how to grow a business during the pandemic