By Anna Jordan on Small Business – Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling on the government to make vital improvements to the UK’s export support scheme.
It comes amid the recent closure of the government’s Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP) which the FSB argues was not “as good, or as good value, as it could have been”. The scheme provided £500-£2,500 towards direct exhibiting costs, conference fees or creating promotional materials.
>See also: 5 things to remember when exporting for the first time
Now the FSB says there is an opportunity to seize a better export support scheme. The body has set out a five-point plan to help achieve this, particularly for regions and businesses where support is most likely to help them become first-time exporters or move into new markets.
Help trade show access across the UK, particularly in areas like the north east and north west of England and the west midlands – these areas have the largest proportion of small firms considering exporting for the first time compared to those who already do.Expand support to costs such as conference entrance feesIncrease proportion of costs covered by grants to ensure best value for