Business support

Lancaster District Chamber of Commerce

Lancaster District Chamber of Commerce promotes the interests of businesses throughout the whole of Lancaster District. Through its affiliation to the Association of British Chambers of Commerce it has links throughout the UK, the European Union and world-wide. A range of services and facilities is available to members including:

Networking Opportunities - Business 2 Business lunches and exhibitions, briefings, seminars, trade sector meetings and social events
Meeting Room Facilities - a well-equipped and spacious meeting room available to hire at reduced rates for Members
Representation - the Chamber acts as the independent voice of business in Lancaster District, helping to promote your best interests at a local, regional and national level
The Chamber runs many events throughout the year.

Business support packages

Lancaster District Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce a partnership with Enterprise4all (North West) Ltd and BOOST Business Lancashire to be the official Lancaster District Partner for the new Growth Support Programme.

Other business support

The Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub assists businesses with Training and Upskilling staff:

The Lancashire Enterprise Partnership has created a Skills and Employment Board and the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub. Support available includes Skills support for redundancy and apprenticeship training

Redundancy support Lancashire Skills Hub Support for Redundancies

Train an Apprentice Lancashire Skills Hub Apprenticeship Training

The Lancashire Work Based Learning Executive Forum can provide information support and guidance to companies who wish to offer apprenticeships - click here

The National Apprenticeship Service is available to help employers with apprenticeship training Taking on an apprentice: help from gov.uk

Enterprise4All can, in certain circumstances, provide a comprehensive range of flexible support to people considering self employment under the Intensive Start Up Support contract. One-to-one advice is available on a wide variety of issues including business planning, finance, marketing and legal requirements.

Boost is Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub. It is a £7.8m business support project led by the Lancashire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) and Lancashire County Council and supported by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).The role of Boost is to help growth-hungry Lancashire businesses realise their potential by providing simply access to a range of leading-edge funded programmes, delivered by specialists with a track record of supporting growth - of both start-ups and established businesses. The business support programmes now available via Boost include:

Growth Support Programme, provided by Winning Pitch and Enterprise4all: Practical advice, support and coaching for owners of high-growth start-ups and early-start businesses.
Growth Mentoring, provided by Community & Business Partners and Orvia: Support for SME business owners from experienced mentors in areas such as business planning, finance, sales, marketing and HR.
Innovation Clinic, provided by UCLan: Support in areas like product design, engineering, testing and prototype development to enable business owners to grow through innovation and development of new products and services.
Access to Finance, provided by North West Access to Finance: Free finance consultancy support to help Lancashire SME businesses identify and apply for suitable forms of finance.

Lancashire County Council offers support with finance solutions (through Roseud Business Finance) grants and business development services.

Visit Lancashire LEAP for support including coaching, international trade, HR, finance and mentoring support. Eligible businesses across Lancashire can access a Start Up Boot Camp; HR Essential Seminars; an International Trade Coaching Support and seminar programme; Finance support, partial funding (50%) of up to £5,000, subject to eligibility criteria; ongoing business mentoring support for up to 2 years.

Enterprise Lancashire - Orvia offers advice and support to start-ups and existing businesses. This includes useful downloads, events, workshops and premises, plus signposting to relevant sources of finance, mentoring, coaching, training and networking opportunities.

Business in You is a government initiative providing a wealth of information and help to SMEs and people wanting to start or grow their own business.

GOV.UK provides comprehensive information and support relating to the raising and managing of business finance, and what to do in cases of financial difficulty. You can also view details about the Tradeshow Access Programme which provides funding to eligible businesses to attend oversea trade shows

HM Revenue & Customs provides a range of guidance and support to help people in business or starting up a business to get their tax affairs right. Support ranges from e-learning course, mobile phone apps and a dedicated Youtube channel.

Funding Circle is an online marketplace to help businesses find low cost loans quickly, and investors get better returns. By directly connecting people who want to invest money with vetted, established businesses who want to borrow money, Funding Circle eliminates the cost and complexity of the banking world.

Social Enterprise Solutions Provide support to individuals, community groups, charities, the private and the public sector, in the development of social businesses. Expertise includes Third Sector Stakeholder Mapping, Strategic and Business Development assistance and training, and Third Sector Marketing and Public Relations.

Enterprise Europe Network North West Enterprise Europe Network experts can help you develop your ideas and take your innovation into new markets. EEN’s many services are there for you to find business partners, access funding and finance and improve your ability to innovate and grow internationally.

SELNET - Lancashire's Social Enterprise Network Offer specialist Social Enterprise business advice and support. Support includes an investment readiness service, information bank, training and links to other sources of support and information.

Free support from UCLan Innovation Clinic in engineering, innovation and business development to companies with high growth potential who want to strategically grow into new markets. This includes practical advice and support from people with relevant industry experience.

Access to Finance NW can assist SMEs with developing a business plan, coaching/mentoring, access to a network of finance providers (schemes are subject to eligibility), sourcing of suitable financial products.

Business Information Service available through the libraries in the North West. Support for pre-starts, new businesses and SMEs with patent information clinics, 24 hour reference service, access to business information resources (including COBRA) and free basic ICT courses.

Rosebud Fund look to support growing businesses with fast, flexible finance, from £10,000 to over £1 million.

The LEADER scheme is part of the Rural Development Programme for England

Green Investment Fund advise businesses, governments and the public sector on their opportunities in a sustainable low carbon world.

Grants for the Arts Apply for funding and find information for funded organisations and individuals.

Last updated: 15 June 2018