Harrogate Borough Council is offering fully-funded business support to small businesses and the self-employed in the Harrogate district.

The council will be granting free membership to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to 200 small businesses with up to 250 employees.

The membership will give each business access to a range of services, covering everything from legal help and advice to cyber protection, free banking and help to access funding.

The support has been provided using the Government’s covid business recovery funding and applications are now open on a first come, first served, basis.  

Trevor Watson, Harrogate Borough Council’s director of economy, environment and housing, said:

“Harrogate Boroughs small, micro and one-person businesses are a vital part of our economy, employing thousands of people right across the Harrogate district. 

“Not all have been reached by government packages during the pandemic, and many are struggling to get back to pre-pandemic levels of trading.”

Trevor added:

“FSB membership will offer up to 200 businesses with employment advice and protection and one to one legal advice, and a wide range of benefits from the FSB, which should help speed their recovery from the crisis. 

“We recognise that membership of FSB can offer complementary services to our own and regional business advice support services, and look forward to seeing businesses take up the offer.”

Business who are not already members of the FSB can apply via email by contacting Nick.Bradley@fsb.org.uk with the reference HBC.

They will be then be contacted by a membership advisor who will help them unlock the funding and sign them up to start using the benefits.

Carolyn Frank, Development Manager York & North Yorkshire, Federation of Small Businesses, said:

“We are seeing more demand than ever for our services as small businesses and the self-employed find themselves needing advice and guidance, financial support and a powerful collective voice with government.

“We are very grateful to Harrogate Borough Council for their support funding free FSB memberships from their Covid business recovery funding, which is helping us reach even more businesses in the Borough with specialist 1-2-1 advice and support.

“They have rightly identified the importance of the smallest businesses to the local economy and we look forward to supporting these businesses by welcoming them to the FSB.”

Harrogate Borough Council

Harrogate Borough Council is offering free membership for the FSB to 200 local businesses.

Carolyn added:

“Our benefits in higher than normal demand due to the Covid pandemic, include employment advice and protection, legal helpline and documents hub, FSB care medical advice line, FSB funding platform and cash advance and insurance services.

“With rising costs and other economic uncertainty, it is important for businesses to have representation with policy makers and FSB offers this, and networking opportunities, in addition to our comprehensive member benefits.

“Harrogate Borough is the 7th Council in North Yorkshire to partner with FSB, and we are delighted to offer our support to them and their businesses across the Borough including Ripon, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and Pateley Bridge and any small business in between.”

FSB Volunteer Area Lead and member Andrea Morrsion said:

“I’d encourage businesses to apply quickly to take advantage of this special scheme, because it is strictly limited to first come, first served.

“Of course, businesses who miss out on the free scheme can still ask for help, FSB have many great resources available to all small businesses including non-members, and a full priced membership starts from only £147 a year, which can be easily paid for in the savings from benefits even if you only use one or two of them.”

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