support

Exporting: Support Services for UK Exporters

Exporting: Support Services for UK Exporters

April 18, 2012 Exporting

A wide range of support services exist to help UK exporters and would-be exporters to tackle virtually all of the issues and challenges which they are likely to face, and help them become established in international markets. Following are just some of the many organisations which can help you get started on your exporting journey. UK Trade & Investment UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the Government Department that helps UK-based companies succeed in global markets and assists overseas firms in bringing their high-quality investment to the UK. UKTI has a global network of 2,400 staff. Its International Trade Advisers (ITAs) around the UK have years of business experience to draw on when advising companies. In 96 markets based in British Embassies and other Diplomatic offices around... »

Statement of Fitness for Work (The Fit Note)

Statement of Fitness for Work (The Fit Note)

April 23, 2010 People

“From Sick Note to Fit Note” Summary From 6 April 2010 the sick note changed to become a fit note. Sick notes (or Medical Statements) are the forms issued by doctors to people when they are ill or injured. They provide advice about whether or not an individual with a health condition is fit for work. They are commonly used by employers as evidence that an employee cannot work for sick pay purposes. Many people with health conditions can, with some basic support from their employer, work as they recover from their condition. This helps the individual because for many people work can help recovery and also benefits the employer by reducing sickness absence. Under the sick note system, doctors could only advise their patient on whether their health condition meant that they should... »

Carbon Trust Support for SMEs Inadequate

May 30, 2008 News

Carbon Trust Support For SMEs is Inadequate, Says Government Report The government’s public-spending watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), has accused the Carbon Trust of doing too little to help small firms reduce their carbon emissions. In the PAC’s report ‘Accelerating the move to a low carbon economy’, the committee’s chairman Edward Leigh, MP, said the Carbon Trust needs to do more to convince small firms that improving their energy efficiency makes commercial sense. “The Carbon Trust is on track to meet its own 2010 target but that is an annual reduction in emissions of only 4.4 million tonnes,” said Leigh. “The Trust’s contribution is pretty ‘small beer’. It can surely do a lot better, especially given soarin... »

British Bosses Not Getting Necessary Support

May 22, 2008 News

Managers missing key skills are increasing the work load for the rest of us… British bosses are burdening other workers because of gaps in their skill set. Out of the employers who acknowledged a skills gap in their managers, 57% said this failing meant an increased workload for other staff. A third of employers said this issue also made it more difficult to introduce new working practices. The same proportion noted that lack of skills led to an increase in operating costs. Research conducted by the Learning Skills Council (LSC) coincides with National Learn at Work Day and highlights a trend that could have serious consequences. Professor Cary Cooper at Lancaster University Management School has identified the lack of training in managers across the country. It is his belief that th... »

Welsh StartUps to Receive Tailored Support

May 20, 2008 News

Welsh Startups will be able to access tailored business support, following a £36 million investment from the Welsh Assembly Government to boost new businesses in the region.  The ‘StartUp’ initiative will be run by Flexible Support for Business, a new central point of government support for Welsh businesses, and is expected to help the development of up to 8,000 start-ups and create more than 10,000 jobs. The project is being funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and a £17 million investment from the European Regional Development Fund. The initiative is aiming to provide improved advice and support to people with business ideas that they want to turn into reality. The money will be invested in providing entrepreneurs with access to external consultants, IT su... »