In 2021, Rishi Sunak, then UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, confirmed plans in his Spring budget announcement for a new scheme: Help to grow digital, which started in Autumn 2022.
£520 million will be made available to help small businesses purchase digital tools and software to increase efficiency, and bounce-back after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quick find…
- What is help to grow digital?
- Who is help to grow digital for?
- Help to grow digital voucher
- Find business technology to grow your business
Ready to grow your business? Check out this guide to 26 new ways to grow your business fast!
What is Help to grow digital?
The Help to grow digital scheme will provide £520 million to small businesses in the UK to invest in digital tools and software to support business growth. The scheme also provide management training to increase confidence in productivity and innovation.
Small businesses will be able to get free impartial advice on how technology can increase their performance through a new online education platform. Certain businesses will be eligible to receive a discount of up to 50% on the costs of approved software, up to the value of £5,000.
These vouchers are expected to be available for software that helps your businesses in one of the following ways:
- Build customer relationships – compare CRM software
- Increase sales
- Maximise online selling opportunities – compare eCommerce website builders
- Manage business accounts and finances digitally – compare accounting software
Who is Help to grow digital for?
The help to grow digital scheme specifies you may be eligible if the following applies to your business:
- Your business has between 1 and 249 employees
- UK company registered with Companies House or on the Financial Conduct Authority’s Mutuals Register
- Your business is actively trading for over a year before applying for the discount
- You are purchasing the software for the first time
Find business technology to help grow your business
Looking to grow your business using digital technology? Digitalsupermarket.com is a free comparison site helping businesses find and compare the best digital tools and software for your needs.
Here’s a guide to the digital technology you can compare with Digitalsupermarket:
Accounting tools – take your bookkeeping digital by managing your payroll, taxes, invoices and expenses all from one low cost digital platform.
CRM software – make the most of customer relationships and sales opportunities. A CRM software is your digital customer database, enabling you to store details, manage communication, track the sales process and send marketing materials.
HR management software – manage your staff records, recruitment and HR processes in one place with a digital HR software designed to help businesses be more efficient.
Digital bank accounts – save money on banking fees. A digital bank account is a perfect solution for small businesses and freelancers to keep business and personal finances separate.
Productivity Software – manage your team and projects remotely, track everything, communicate with team members and plan activities all from one app.
Email marketing software – create an email database, design and build marketing materials and manage your email marketing campaign.
Website building tools – find the best way to create your business website. Whether it’s a blog, online store or company website, get everything you need to stand-out online.
Social media tools – compare platforms for managing your social media accounts, scheduling posts, tracking competitors and increasing engagement.
Point of sale systems – looking to take customer payments online or in store? Don’t get caught out on fees and subscriptions. Compare digital POS systems to find the best solution for your business.
Project management software – all the tools you need to plan, track and manage a project from one platform.
Cloud storage services – keep your files secure and stored in an easily accessible place.
Website Chatbots – add a chatbot to your website to improve customer service and communication.
WordPress website plugins – already have a WordPress website? Looking to add a function or improve design? Compare WordPress plugins to find what works for your website.
Website hosting – whether you looking to launch a new website or change your current hosting plan. Find and compare the best hosting for your website here.
Website SEO tools – compare SEO tools for research, link building, site improvement, content marketing and more!
Thinking of starting a new business? Check out our guide for a step-by-step checklist of everything you need to do.