Campaign to boost awareness of business finance schemes

An advertising campaign has been launched to promote the various government-funded packages available to small firms in order to help them cope with the recession.

Print, radio and online advertisements will alert firms to the new Real Help for Businesses Now guide.

Peter Mandelson, the Business Secretary, said: “Businesses do not face this recession alone. I want to ensure that businesses know how to access the support they need to weather the current global economic storm and emerge from it stronger.

“That’s why the Government is today launching a campaign to raise awareness of the real help available – including business finance and help managing tax bills.”

Amongst other issues, the guide advises firms on accessing business loans and long-term finance, reducing waste, getting time to pay tax bills and finding funds to support training and improve staff skills.

The government has said that the banks, through which the finance packages are administered, have received five times the normal number of applications for the Enterprise Finance Guarantee.