Free Government Grants For Technology - Don't Miss Out!
The Government is offering free grants of up to £5k to help your business back to profitability.
Having passed the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK government is desperately racing to get Britain back to work. Alongside Boris’ plea for us to return to offices and shops, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has unveiled a range of measures to help get the economy moving.
One of the more interesting developments has been an announcement by Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government, Simon Clarke. Clarke has promised a £20 million fund to help small and medium-sized businesses in England ‘get back on track’. Subject to approval, firms can access grants of between £1000 and £5000.
Free money
Faced with potentially long-term uncertainty about revenue, any extra cash is welcome – especially when it is free. But the business recovery grants do have some strings attached.
If you secure a grant, the money must be spent on access to new technology, or ‘professional, legal, financial or other advice to help you get back on track’. Invested correctly, the money could be a useful springboard to greater success however.
Never coming back
One of the amazing things about humans is our ability to adapt. At the start of lockdown, many people struggled to adapt to working from home. Loneliness, ineffective tools and the general distractions of home were common complaints.
Once we began to develop a routine, those issues became less important. Many began to enjoy the new ways of working. No more costly, time-consuming commute into the office every day. More opportunities to balance our work and professional lives. Opportunities to spend time with our families. A mini lie-in every morning. A chance to consider what really matters to us all.
Concerns about viral contagion aside, many people simply do not want to go back to the office. The new normal way of working suits them fine – and they won’t be coming into the office any time soon.
A chance to rebuild your workforce
This creates a dilemma. Either you let your best talent go to a competitor who encourages remote working, or you change the way you do business.
And that is where the new recovery grants come into play. The money can be invested to build a work-from-home platform that gives your employees the flexibility they want. And by replacing your existing make-do systems with a proper integrated platform like G Suite by Kimbley IT, you can help them to be more productive too.
It’s also worth remembering that by building a flexible, future-proof work from home strategy, you become more attractive as an employer. This gives you an edge over the competition, allowing you to build a team of all the talents – from anywhere in the world.
What next?
Details about the grants – and the application process – are still sketchy at present. We do know that the funds are only available to smaller businesses, probably those employing 49 people or fewer. We also know that the money will be distributed by regional Growth Hubs at their discretion.
Perhaps most importantly, the grants will not have to be repaid. The government is effectively investing in your business, allowing you to compete with larger businesses who already have established remote-working capabilities.
To learn more about G Suite by Kimbley IT and how we can help your business build a work-from-home strategy that actually delivers, please book a short video call using the form below.