Support for Businesses

Business Link West Midlands can help.  Their business experts can offer FREE, independent advice on;

• Managing your efficiency and costs
• Help with your cashflow
• Managing your debts
• Need access to finance

Business Link can also point you in the right direction if you need more detailed support.

Call: 0845 113 1234 or Credit Crunch Hotline 0845 002 0900
Visit: www.businesslinkwm.co.uk

The Manufacturing Advisory Service in West Midlands (MAS WM) can help.  Their experts can offer;

• Immediate impartial manufacturing advice
• In-company manufacturing reviews to highlight performance enhancing opportunities
• A series of free to attend interactive best practice workshops that cover manufacturing, purchasing and international marketing and organised company visits
• Subsidised in-depth project support to resolve complex manufacturing issues
• Access to technical expertise and sources of additional support   

Call:  0845 245 0845 or click here to register your enquiry.

The West Midlands for Construction Excellence (WMCCE) can help.  WMCCE provides specialist business assistance to help businesses in the construction and built environment sector, including:

• Bid writing and coaching to win more contracts

• Sustainability health check, carbon emission reduction, waste management strategy

• New Product/Material Development

Eligible businesses in the West Midlands can benefit from subsidised, or in some cases fully-funded, business improvement services.

Call: 0121 688 4050
Visit: www.wmcce.org

The Advantage West Midlands backed Advantage Transition Bridge Fund can help.  The Advantage Transition Bridge Fund can provide loans of between £50,000 and £250,000 to SME businesses based in the West Midlands.  Businesses must have a viable business plan but be unable to secure finance to progress that plan from usual commercial sources. (Applicants must have approached their bank or alternative provider first).

Phone: Karen Davis on 0121 200 8195
Visit: www.advantagebridgefund.com

For West Midlands based SMEs looking for finance up to £50,000 loans may be available from one of the region’s Community Development Finance Institutions. Details of these can be found at www.fair-finance.net.

Details of other Advantage West Midlands finance initiatives, including risk capital and grants, can be found at www.advantagewm.co.uk. 

Advantage West Midlands can help.  Assistance from £100,000 to £9 million is available to private sector developers, in order to trigger new, high-quality commercial and industrial development opportunities in the region that might otherwise be financially unviable in the current tough economic climate.

Call : Chris Thomas at Thomas Lister on 01527 871 640
Email chris.thomas@thomaslister.com
Visit: www.awmgapfunding.co.uk

ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) can help.  Providing advice and guidance on all legal issues connected to business restructuring, alternatives to redundancy or legislation regarding making redundancies - ensuring principles of good practice are applied to the way all staff are treated.

Call: 08457 474747
Visit: www.acas.org.uk

ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) can help.  Providing advice and guidance on all legal issues connected to business restructuring, alternatives to redundancy or legislation regarding making redundancies - ensuring principles of good practice are applied to the way all staff are treated.

Call: 08457 474747
Visit: www.acas.org.uk

ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) can help.  Providing advice and guidance on all legal issues connected to business restructuring, alternatives to redundancy or legislation regarding making redundancies - ensuring principles of good practice are applied to the way all staff are treated.

Call: 08457 474747
Visit: www.acas.org.uk

The Learning & Skills Council can help. From improving English and Maths, through accredited NVQs and apprenticeships to leadership and management training.

A Train to Gain broker can point you in the right direction.

Call: 0800 015 55 45
Visit: Train to Gain west midlands webpage

Graduate Advantage can help.  As long as you are based in the West Midlands; have a graduate level work need; have provisions to make payments to a student or graduate then Graduate Advantage can assist you by offering free front-end recruitment for anything between 4 weeks to longer term 12 month placements.

Call: 0121 204 4767
Visit: www.graduateadvantage.co.uk

Employer Direct at Job Centre Plus can advertise your vacancies at no charge. In addition, the Local Emplyment Partnerships Programme can provide your business with a bespoke package of support. The West Midlands Employer offer has been developed to provide a flexible recruitment package with a range of support measures.

The National Apprenticeship Service offers a vacancy matching service, linking businesses seeking new staff to committed apprentices looking for opportunities to work, learn and succeed.

Register your interest on the Apprenticeships website

UK Trade and Investment can help. UKTI can provide access to the FREE expertise and market intelligence you need to get your business ready to enter new international markets.

Call: (0)121 503 3257
Visit:  UKTI west midlands web-page

The Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) can help.  For charities that are worried about their financial viability CAF has launched a free crisis helpline.  Charity leaders will be able to talk in confidence to CAF advisers and get advice on the steps they can take.  CAF will also refer charities to the sector's main umbrella bodies if they need further advice. The NCVO, Acevo, the Charity Finance Directors' Group and the Institute of Fundraising have all offered their support.

The helpline is available to any UK charity, regardless of size or affiliation.  The helpline number is 0800 980 2000.  Lines are open: Mon to Fri 8am - 6pm

Regional Action West Midlands is collecting evidence of the impact of the recession on charities and Third Sector organisations. This is being used to shape the West Midlands recession recovery plan, and to make sure the needs of third sector organizations are being met.

For more information and to contribute to RAWM’s work contact rawm@rawm.co.uk or read our latest briefing on the downturn here.  www.rawm.org.uk

The NHS Stressline can help. Job insecurity, redundancy, debt and money problems can all cause feelings of distress. When times are tough, it’s quite natural to feel worried or down. It’s when these feelings go on for weeks that they can start to affect your health and wellbeing.

Are your worries about the credit crunch interfering with your life? Get some help. Simply dial the NHS Credit Crunch Stressline on 0300 123 2000 and speak to someone who cares 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week. All NHS health advisers are trained to help.