Support for employers and businesses

Local advice and support for your business

You can visit our business pages for all the usual business information.

If you are an employee or you are currently looking for work, visit our support with work and finances page.

Financial support

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)

You may be eligible for a loan of up to £150,000 through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). The Let's Do Business Group is an accredited delivery partner of the scheme from British Bank. Visit the Back to Business website for more details.

Localised Restrictions Support Grant

Businesses that were severely impacted or forced to close due to COVID-19 restrictions may be eligible for a grant of up to £3,000. To view the full criteria and apply for a grant, visit your local council.

Free advice for businesses

Back to Business Essex is fully funded by Essex County Council and delivered by the Let's Do Business Group. All Essex businesses are eligible for 12 hours of free advice.

Business Essex, Southend and Thurrock (BEST) Growth Hub can help you identify programmes, initiatives and funding you can access.

Essex Chambers of Commerce offers local advice and support.

Colbea is offering free advice and support to all Essex businesses.

Business organisations

There are a number of business organisations to support you, including:

• South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP)
• Federation of Small Businesses
• London Growth Hub
• ACAS
• CBI

Business training and webinars

Visit the University of Essex and ACAS sites for business training and webinars in response to coronavirus.

The Department for Education (DfE) has launched a National Careers Service Skills Toolkit offering access to free digital and numeracy courses for individuals who have been furloughed and want to learn new skills, who are out of work and want to improve their CV, or those who just want to improve their skills, progress in work and boost their job prospects.

Work and travel during coronavirus

We have published some guides to help businesses in Essex get back to work during the pandemic:

• Smarter Working in Essex - A guide for businesses (PDF, 6.5MB) helping businesses to cope with changes in working practices, new thinking about workspaces and creative uses of new technologies
• Smarter Travel for Essex - Travelling to work post COVID-19 (PDF, 560KB) advice and guidance for businesses and employees on travel options

You will find more information:

• The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has published guidance to help businesses bring employees back into the workplace safely.
• The National Cyber Security Centre has produced guidance that recommends steps you can take if your organisation is introducing (or scaling up the amount of) home working.