More business leaders to benefit from Help to Grow: Management scheme

A ground-breaking government scheme to boost the productivity and future growth of the country’s business community will benefit even more entrepreneurs from today (Tuesday 14 June).

The Help to Grow: Management scheme offers business leaders 50 hours of leadership and management training across 12 weeks, backed by £220 million of government funding, which covers 90% of the costs involved.

It means for as little as £750 business leaders can benefit from one-to-one support from a business mentor, access to a network of like-minded business leaders, and a bespoke growth plan to help the business reach its full potential.

The scheme offers development opportunities for leaders and their staff, boosting productivity and growing their companies which can lead to more high-skill, high-wage jobs. This is part of the government’s commitment to grow the economy to address the cost of living and level up opportunity across the UK, alongside standing behind businesses by cutting fuel duty and raising the Employment Allowance.

Up until today, eligible businesses could only have one participant on the scheme. From today, businesses with 10 or more employees will be eligible to have up to 2 participants join the scheme. Additionally, previous participants on the Small Business Leadership Programme will now be eligible to join the scheme.

Today it’s also announced that top names including Santander, Vodafone and award-winning mentor Herman Stewart have signed up as volunteer mentors to support the Help to Grow: Management course.

Small Business Minister Paul Scully said:

Again and again, business leaders are telling us how much they are benefiting from the Help to Grow: Management scheme both personally, and in the results they see in their companies and from their staff.

By expanding the scheme even further, more and more people will benefit from what Help to Grow: Management has to offer – including within the same business – and more organisations can thrive and grow.

Courses have been running at business schools across the UK since June 2021. Feedback on the training has been excellent, with business leaders reporting they benefit from greater confidence in leading and managing their businesses as a result of their participation.

Participants have included:

Louise Towler, Founder and Managing Director of Indigo Tree, who said:

There is no doubt in my mind that the Help to Grow: Management Course has been instrumental in giving me the confidence to grow my business.

Rosie Boullin-Barrett, the Finance Director of Seacat Services, who said:

I came away feeling absolutely energised, buzzing and positive about being a better leader.

Beverley Lewis, CEO of Welsh Triathlon Limited, who said:

No matter where you are in your leadership journey, you will get a lot out of the Help to Grow: Management Course. I don’t know anybody that would have done the course and not come away with something valuable.

Chris Reeks, Founder and Director of Fentrade Aluminium, who said:

I would definitely recommend the Help to Grow: Management Course. The opportunity to be in a room with people in the same position as me, trying to grow their businesses, wanting to take the next step but not being quite sure how to do it, was really valuable.

Geoff Wilkinson, Managing Director of Wilkinson Construction Consultants Ltd, who said:

I know for a fact that I’m going to be going back to the things that we’ve learned on this course.

While access to the scheme is widening, other Help to Grow: Management eligibility criteria will remain the same. For example, the applicant must still be a senior decision maker such as a Chief Executive or Finance Director, and any business must employ between five and 249 people to send at least one employee.

The Help to Grow: Management scheme sits alongside the Grow: Digital scheme.

Under Help to Grow: Digital, eligible businesses can receive discounts of up to £5,000 off the retail price of approved Digital Accounting and CRM software from leading technology suppliers. This software helps them to manage their finances and build customer relationships, ultimately helping businesses to scale up.

Find out more about the Help to Grow schemes on the dedicated website.