Useful Contacts

Get help and support for your business – gov.uk/business-support-helpline

You can get advice and financial help from government-backed schemes.
Enter your details and select the type of support you need.

Tel: 0300 456 3565/0191 581 0052.

Working for yourself 

Self-employment (detailed)  

Set up as self-employed (a ‘sole trader’): step by step 

Set up a business 

Starting a company: detailed information 

Employing staff for the first time 

Set up a limited company

Set up a business partnership

Running a business from home

HMRC

Companies House – Find company information. 

Health and Safety Executive – Regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare. 

Intellectual Property Office –  Intellectual property & trademarks. 

National Enterprise Network – A membership body representing the enterprise support sector.

The Prince’s Trust – If you’re aged 18-30, unemployed or working fewer than 16 hours a week.

Young Enterprise – Empowers young people to harness their personal and business skills and ambitions.

Businessballs  – Inspirational, ideas, materials, exercises, tools, templates – free & fun. 

Citizens Advice – Provide free, independent, confidential and impartial advice. 

Federation of Small Businesses  – The FSB is the UK’s largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and small firms. 

Enterprise Nation  – Enterprise Nation has helped thousands of people start and grow their own successful business. 

Forum of Private Business – FPB offers tailored legal cover, and helps you to stay up to date with ever-changing regulations, make savings and give you a voice. 

Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs  – The IOEE is for anyone who is thinking about starting or already running their own business, those who support them and entrepreneurial businesses. 

Start-Up Loans – A government funded scheme to provide advice, loans and mentoring to start-up and early stage businesses (up to 24 months).

Association of Business Mentors – An independent, not-for-profit body for Enterprise and Business Mentors. 

4Networking – Relaxed, fun and friendly business networking. Network locally, regionally and even nationally. 50,000+ members online. 

BNI – BNI have over 13,000 members in the UK and Ireland alone, passing nearly 680,000 referrals worth over £409 million every year! 

British Chambers of Commerce – The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is an independent business network with accredited chambers in every nation and region of the UK. 

Find Networking Events – The UK’s number one resource for information on Business Networking Events, Workshops, Seminars and Business Shows. 

ByteStart – First established in 2004, ByteStart is now one of the most popular small business information sites in the UK. Independently run, ByteStart provides no-nonsense guides and help for start-ups and small businesses. 

Entrepreneurial-Spark – Aims to develop entrepreneurs who have a #GoDo attitude with a solid grasp of how to create value…which makes them investable. With mentors, ambassadors and supporters, workshops, pitch practice and a full time ‘entrepreneurial enabler’ the focus is on the individual. 

SmallBusiness.co.uk  – Provides useful resources, products and services for small business owners and start-ups. Free online advice, news articles, guides, tips that can point you in the right direction to start your own small business. 

Startacus  – The go-to space for start-ups, entrepreneurs & self-starters! List your start-up, connect with entrepreneurs, be informed and inspired by a range of articles. 

StartUp Britain  – A campaign by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs. They offer inspiration, resources and guidance to help people start and grow their own business. 

Start Up Donut  – Aimed at helping businesses to succeed by providing reliable information and resources that can save business owners time and money. 

Startup Grind  – Startup Grind is the largest independent start-up community, educating, inspiring, and connecting founders in over 185 cities. 

Start Your Business  – Our site! Useful information, local contacts and a FREE start-up pack which contains everything that you need to get started. It has been put together to ensure that you do not miss anything important. 

Startups – One of the most comprehensive advice platforms available on the web. Covers everything you need to know to start, buy, run or sell a business. 

Virgin Startup  – Virgin StartUp, with support from the Virgin Group is run on a not for profit basis, so every pound goes towards their commitment to change the prospect of start-ups, for good.