The UK government has today announced it has expanded the eligibility of its Help to Grow: Digital Scheme, slashing the cost of leading software for up to 1.2 million small businesses.
Businesses under 250 employees can now access discounts up to £5,000 on approved software, which now also includes eCommerce software to help businesses reach new markets.
Accounting and CRM software are eligible for discount within the scheme, with aims to help boost the productivity and growth of the UK small business market amidst rising costs during the cost-of-living crisis.
Business Minister, Lord Callanan, said: “Boosting productivity isn’t some abstract concept to be sniffed at – for individual SMEs it means bigger sales and breaking into new markets. It can add £100 billion to the British economy overall, creating jobs and opportunity across the country.
“Adopting the latest technology is proven to help businesses make the most of their potential, and by making more than one million firms eligible for the scheme, we’re helping to level up the UK economy and bolster the ability of our businesses to compete with the best worldwide” he continued.
The scheme will also provide one-to-one advice for SMEs to help guide them on how best to adapt new digital technology.
Shoaib Aslam, Founder of Start My Business, commented: “Government support for start-ups and SMEs is vital and the Help to Grow scheme will prove hugely beneficial for early-stage businesses. SMEs rely on a plethora of digital tools from accounting software to marketing platforms to contract tools which increases operating costs, so discounts via the government led scheme are very welcome, and vital to allow small businesses to stay afloat.
“Whilst discounted software is certainly a positive step, that alone won’t fuel a successful business. Further support from the government in areas such as accessing business finance will help start-ups to finance early-stage growth and create a sustainable operating model. This must be supplemented by mutual support in the small business circle, sharing advice, guidance and digital tools between each other to ensure we can all prosper” he added.
