Monthly Archives: February 2021

This success mindset curation process is achievable and rewarding.

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Secure funding and expert mentoring for your start-up

by Nick Ismail • February 2, 2021 • 0 Comments

Originally written by Nick Ismail on Small Business
The Start-Up Series competition is back for February! Win hands-on help and up to £250,000 in equity funding for your business (subject to due diligence, terms & conditions) — apply before February 14.
Worth Capital is back on the hunt for start-ups with the return of The Start-Up Series.
Continuing our usual monthly cycle, the competition is open for entries from 1st to 14th of each month, where we’ll be hunting for ambitious start-ups with the potential to become much loved brands. Regardless of sector or whether you’re a B2B or B2C business, as long as your start-up is eligible for SEIS or EIS HMRC advance assurance, then we’ll consider your application.
Winners will receive up to £250,000 of equity funding, a minimum of two-years expert support from Worth Capital and media coverage on smallbusiness.co.uk and other channels to promote your business and follow your journey.
See how to enter here. Please note, your start-up will need to be eligible for SEIS or EIS HMRC advance assurance.
Hayley Etherington, business operations director of Worth Capital, said: “The Start-Up Series has already invested over £4.2M into some of the UK’s most promising start-ups – which makes us the largest

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Fashion industry struggles for survival due to post-Brexit red tape

by Anna Jordan • February 2, 2021 • 0 Comments

Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
More than 400 leading figures in the fashion industry are calling on the government for help following post-Brexit red tape and travel restrictions.
The open letter to the Prime Minister comes from respected icons, including model Twiggy and Patrick Grant, judge on the Great British Sewing Bee.
Complex international supply chains and relationships have been ‘strangled’ under the new restrictions.
“Everyone working across the EU, our largest trading partner for imports and exports, will now need
costly work permits for each of the member states they visit and a mountain of paperwork for their
products and equipment. This is a step backwards and out of touch with the realities of how the sector
works,” they wrote in the letter fronted by Fashion Roundtable, an industry forum.
“From travelling to the EU for trade shows to large value shoots and shows happening here in
the UK, red tape delays and costs are impacting our industry already, with work relocating to the EU,
all impacting our opportunities to trade and travel.”
Fashion Roundtable wants the government to add garment workers to the list of ‘shortage occupations’ for UK visas to help fill thousands of vacancies in UK clothing factories. It’s also calling for UK tax

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Gaining settled status for European employees – what employers should do

by Helen Jamieson • February 2, 2021 • 0 Comments

Originally written by Helen Jamieson on Small Business
On top of the Covid-19 headache, there are growing concerns that many European nationals are unaware of what they need to do to continue working in the UK, such as applying for settled status.
Research from The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants earlier this month warned that one in seven EU care employees was at risk of losing their immigration status as a result of changes to regulations. This indicates a worrying lack of awareness among EU employees about the need to act now to secure working status.
If your European employees fail to secure this settled status (or pre-settled status) before the deadline they run the risk of losing their right to remain in the UK. That could be a massive blow to your business.
It is essential that, as an employer, you know where you stand in relation to the new immigration rules and that you support your employees to do what they need to do.
What do European employees need to know about securing the right status?
There are mounting concerns that many EU, EEA and Swiss nationals do not know they need to apply for settled status, with some believing that as

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Local authorities blame government for slow release of Covid-19 grants

by Timothy Adler • February 2, 2021 • 0 Comments

Originally written by Timothy Adler on Small Business
Local authorities have blamed government for the slow payment of Covid-19 grants during lockdown, with businesses still waiting for cash.
Although government says it has paid out the £4.6bn worth of Covid-19 grants to be distributed by all 314 local authorities over the current national lockdown, it still has to release of the £12bn worth of support first offered last year.
There have been 10 different tranches of funding to keep small businesses going through local-tier restrictions established in October and the one-month lockdown for England that ran from November 5.
>See also: £9000 lockdown grant for businesses in retail, hospitality and leisure
The schemes also cover support for different regional restrictions in December and the current lockdown in England, which is expected to run until at least February 22.
The Local Government Association says that councils have also been struggling to distribute the money, due to increased state-aid compliance issues and vetting applicants for fraud. They have focused on getting larger amounts for January’s closures out the door, as opposed to last year’s smaller grants.
But businesses still awaiting grants say they may not still be in business by the time money is finally released.
>See also: Where to