Advice for businesses
Council, business and skills partners in the borough have come together to provide you with this guide to help you find the right support.
Where to get help during the recession
(pdf, 556KB)
Is your business affected by the Credit Crunch?
- Are you a business based in Richmond upon Thames?
- Are you struggling to stay afloat during the credit crunch?
The following information should provide useful information and advice to help. Also see, our business section.
Business support and advice
Business Link in London
Support and advice for start ups and existing businesses with free diagnostic advice for start ups and existing businesses with free diagnostic advice and support in specialist aspects of business development.
Telephone: 08456 000 787
Website: www.businesslink.gov.uk/london
There is a choice of three free monthly e-newsletters to subscribe to depending on whether you are a pre-start, start-up or established business.
Business Link
Business Link is a free business advice and support service. Part of the website is dedicated to London Businesses and they run a Real Help for Business programme to provide packages of government support for local businesses.
Richmond Chamber of Commerce
Richmond Chamber of Commerce can provide help and support for local businesses in the Borough. They can be contacted on 020 8891 7457 or email email@richmondchamberofcommerce.co.uk.
Business finance
- Is your business in need of urgent advice and attention? If you are struggling to pay your business rates or any other bills then free help and advice is available.
- Is your business struggling with debt - visit Business Debtline or call the helpline 0800 197 6026 for free, confidential and independent advice on how to deal with debt problems.
- Visit the Business Rates pages to find out whether your organisation will qualify for Small business rate relief.
Recruitment and redundancy
South London Business
South London Business is able to provide free support and skills development activities to adults in South London that are under notice of redundancy or those that have recently been made redundant.
Training people for re-employment. The training consists of two and a half days and is dependant on the needs of the individual and can include:
- One to one training needs analysis
- CV writing, getting job ready and job searches
- Specific sector training
- Other training identified through the training needs analysis
The training can either take place on-site at the place of work if there are a number of people at notice of redundancy, or will take place at venues around south London for those already made redundant.
Hotline: 020 8666 0221
Email: realhelpnow@southlondonbusiness.co.uk
Prosell
Prosell are a locally based commercial training provider who can offer free training and support(pdf, 224KB) for anyone who is at risk of redundancy.
Are you putting jobs at risk or making people redundant in your organisation and want to help them?
If you or your employees are based in the Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames', Kingston or Merton then we can offer Free training and support to help these people get back into work.
To find out how Prohr can help you help your people, call confidentially: 0208 755 5381 and ask for ‘Response to Redundancy'
Business Link's Rapid Response
The Business Link's Rapid Response service is for businesses at risk of failing or for those who have been made redundant and are thinking about starting up their own business. They offer free, impartial business information and advice to London based businesses, either over the phone or face to face with specialist Rapid Response business advisers.
Telephone: 08456 000 787
Other organisations
Further advice and information about recruitment and redundancy issues include:
Reducing running costs
Go Green Richmond upon Thames
Go Green offers advice to assist businesses to be more efficient. Find out how you can reduce costs through energy, water, waste, purchasing and transport savings.
Environmental audits
Have you received an initial environmental review of your business? The reviews take between one to two hours and you receive a report with tailored recommendations providing advice on quick wins to improve your environmental performance.
Once you have had the initial review you can benefit from a specialist audit in energy, water or travel from our expert engineers. Businesses have found this service useful in developing a business case to upgrade their boiler, improve insulation, energy efficient lighting and other building facilities.
Green business map
Is your business reducing its environmental impacts? Do you want to find new ways to be more resource efficient?
Businesses that are going green can now be seen on the green business map. If you want your business to be included on this green map simply apply for a Merit, Advanced or Exceptional Award and once your site has been assessed you can promote your good environmental practice to your employees, clients and stakeholders.
More information
For information about any of the above services provided through Go Green Richmond upon Thames, email: sophie.maqsood@richmond.gov.uk.
Smarter Travel - saving time and money in the credit crunch and beyond
Local businesses
We can help your business save money and time, retain staff and become more efficient.
Smarter Travel Richmond upon Thames is working with local businesses to develop workplace travel plans which can help your organisation explore quicker, healthier and cheaper travel options. Through various incentives, information and support, we are striving to encourage people to choose more efficient travel options which can help save time and money.
We can provide your organisation with free support and a range of other benefits including up to £5000 match-funding and 20 free cycle racks.
For more information on the benefits of having a travel plan and for assistance with developing one, email workplacetravel@richmond.gov.uk, or visit www.smartertravelrichmond.org.
Other sources of help
Many other organisations can offer support and information about ways to save resources and running costs at your business.