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Help to grow

Learn new skills, reach more customers and boost your profits with ‘Help to Grow’ from the UK Government.

Help to Grow: Digital

Help to Grow: Digital is a UK Government scheme that supports eligible SMEs to choose, buy and integrate software into their business.  Through the scheme you can receive a discount of up to 50% or £5,000 (excluding VAT) towards the cost of buying one approved software.

Embracing software and digital ways of working can help boost your business performance.  For example, software integration could help you reach more customers, streamline time-consuming tasks and free up time to focus on core business needs.

Many businesses feel that cost and knowledge are barriers to adopting new software and digital ways of working.  As well as cost, Help to Grow: Digital can help with advice and learning, including how to identify your software needs and finding the best supplier.  Furthermore, you can get tips on integrating software into your business and getting the best return on your investment.

When you’re ready, you can browse the software in the scheme and compare the pros and cons of each package before choosing a software and applying for your discount.

Find your software solution - external link

How to apply for the digital discount

The Help to Grow: Digital Discount is currently available from approved suppliers of the following software types:

  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
  • Digital Accounting
  • eCommerce

Start by checking if your business is eligible. This will give you an indication of whether your application will be successful.

To apply for a discount you will need to:

  1. Choose your software
  2. Provide information about you and your company as part of the eligibility and fraud checks
  3. Once the checks are complete, you’ll receive an email. Confirm your email address to continue
  4. Wait to receive your email confirming if you’ve passed the eligibility and fraud checks
  5. If successful, you’ll receive a unique link. Use it on the supplier’s website to buy your chosen software

All discounts need to be redeemed within 30 days from issue. After 30 days you will need to reapply.

Help to Grow: Management Course

The Help to Grow: Management Course supports senior managers of SMEs to boost their business’s performance, resilience, and long-term growth.

The 12-week programme is designed to be taken alongside full-time work through a combination of online sessions and face-to-face learning.  The cost to attend is also 90% funded by the UK Government.

The curriculum includes leadership, innovation, digital adoption, employee engagement, marketing, responsible business, and financial management.  By the end of the programme you will develop a business growth plan to help you release your business’s potential.

To join the Help to Grow: Management Course, your business must:

  • Be a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) based in the United Kingdom
  • From any business sector, employing between 5 and 249 people
  • Have been operational for at least one year
  • Not be a charity
  • If your business employs between 10 and 249 people, you can send up to two participants on the course.
  • For more information, please read the FAQs

To join the Help to Grow: Management Course, the applicant must:

  • Be a senior decision maker, such as Chief Executive, Finance Director, Operations Director, etc.
  • Commit to completing all sessions
Find a course near you - external link

More information

Find out more about UK Government support for business, such as help with growing your exports and managing your tax.

Receive business support updates from the UK Government on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.