UK Tradeshow Programme launched

 Get government support to help you attend or exhibit at overseas trade shows

A new programme to support SMEs to explore exporting opportunities at overseas trade shows has now opened.

Businesses will receive training to help them get the most out of exhibiting and some may be able to access grants of either £2,000 or £4,000 to help with costs.

UK businesses exporting, or thinking about exporting, can apply for support to:

• exhibit at, or attend, approved overseas trade shows and conferences
• potentially receive grants to offset some costs

Applications to exhibit at overseas trade shows are now open. Applications to attend overseas trade shows (without exhibiting) will open in January 2022.

https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/uk-tradeshow-programme-launched

Ardean ¦ Marketing

New DAERA Grants and Funding Hub

Find grants and funding supporting local farming, fisheries, rural business, communities and environmental NGOs with a new tool from DAERA.

A new one-stop online funding hub has been launched by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). The Grants and Funding Hub will provide users, at a glance, with information about the schemes DAERA offers, help them easily determine eligibility, and provide details about how to apply and who to contact for further information.

In addition to signposting current opportunities, it includes details of existing and legacy schemes to help users better understand the types of funding offered by DAERA. It also has links to other government funding available and provides contact details for support organisations that can help applicants avail of funding.

Complementing the hub, a new text alert service has been established. The service will allow those interested in schemes to sign up to be alerted when new opportunities are available, be reminded of closing dates and signposted to other useful updates. Subscription is easy - simply text DAERAGrants to 67300 for free updates by SMS.

Find the latest opportunities on the DAERA Grants and Funding Hub: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/grants-and-funding

Ardean: Business Funding

Minimum wage rates increase from 1 April 2022

 National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates increase from 1 April 2022.

Employers should be aware that all minimum wage rates increase on 1 April of each year. This includes all National Minimum Wage rates and the National Living Wage rate. The new minimum wage rates apply to eligible workers in Northern Ireland from 1 April 2022.

Read more on National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates.

Ardean ¦ Business Planning

Economic Recovery Innovation Grant

A new £4 million innovation grant for SMEs opens for applications
Invest Northern Ireland (Invest NI) has launched the Economic Recovery Innovation Grant (ERIG) to support small and medium-sized businesses to develop and implement innovative projects.

ERIG will provide up to £5,000 to help businesses develop new, or improve existing products, services or processes through innovation. The grant will support eligible costs, including:

• testing and developing new products or processes
• equipment
• skills development
• marketing
• consultancy

ERIG is open to any business that can demonstrate it meets all the eligibility criteria.

How to apply
Complete the Eligibility Checker to find out if you are eligible to apply.

https://www.investni.com/economic-recovery-innovation-grant-eligibility-check

Ardean ¦ Funding For Businesses

£300 Marketing Grant Available For Mid Ulster Businesses

 Mid Ulster District Council has launched a new £250K grant scheme to support the economic recovery of local businesses in the district.

From today, Monday 2 August, businesses in Mid Ulster will be able to apply for a marketing grant, up to a maximum of £300, to help assist their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applications to the scheme will only be accepted through the online application process, no hard copy or email applications will be accepted. Funding will be allocated to businesses on a first come, first served basis until all the funding has been committed.

Learn more about this grant from this webpage: https://www.midulstercouncil.org/marketinggrant

Ardean ¦ Funding

COVID-19 Energy Efficiency Capital Grant - second call

Invest Northern Ireland is running a second call for applications to the COVID-19 Energy Efficiency Capital Grant (EECG)

EECG helps businesses recover from COVID-19 and build resilience through green efficiency. It provides grant support for the installation of energy efficient equipment that offers greater efficiency in the use of energy, providing cost savings and carbon savings.

EECG is open to existing Invest NI customers and businesses eligible to become an Invest NI customer.

Apply Here>>>

Ardean ¦ Business Funding

COVID-19 Digital Selling Capability Grant for Retail and Wholesale

The COVID-19 Digital Selling Capability Grant (DSCG) will help established retail and wholesale businesses in Northern Ireland to grow their business online - the second call for applications is now open

This second call for applications open to any small or medium sized retailer or wholesaler with 5 employees or more. The business must have an existing online presence and want to enhance its digital offering to expand its customer base, improve e-commerce capability and increase online sales.

Check your eligibility>>

Ardean ¦ Business Funding

Coronavirus: Large NAV Business Grant

The Large NAV Business Grant provides financial support to businesses that occupied commercial premises with an NAV (Net Annual Value) over £51,000 at 1 March 2021 that were awarded the 12-month rates holiday for 2020-21, subject to some exclusions

Businesses which were eligible for the 12-month rates holiday include retail, hospitality, tourism, leisure, manufacturing, and childcare businesses, and newspaper producers.

The scheme is designed to support the business which is the main occupier of a property, not the landlord or managing agent or any businesses/self-employed parties who rent part of the property from the main occupying business. Occupying businesses who consider themselves eligible for support from this scheme can apply even if they are not the named ratepayer on the business rate bill for the property.

Apply Now>>

Ardean ¦ Business Funding

Off-payroll working rules webinars

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) webinars to explain how the off-payroll working rules will change on 6 April 2021

Before 6 April 2021, if your worker provides services to a client through you:

• in the public sector, the client must decide your employment status
• in the private sector, you must decide your worker’s status

From 6 April 2021, all public sector clients and medium or large-sized private sector clients will be responsible for deciding your worker’s employment status. This includes some charities and third sector organisations.

If the off-payroll working rules apply, your worker’s fees will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions. 

HMRC are hosting a number of free webinars to help businesses in key areas prepare for this change in off-payroll working.

Click here to view dates and times of webinars.

Ardean ¦ Business Planning

SME Brexit Support Fund: Grants to help businesses new to importing or exporting

The SME Brexit Support Fund could give you up to £2,000 to help with training or professional advice if your business has up to 500 employees and no more than £100 million annual turnover.

Applications for the SME Brexit Support Fund are now open.

Applications will close on 30 June 2021 or earlier if all funding is allocated before this date.

Click here to learn more about how to apply.

Ardean ¦ Business Funding

National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates

The National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage in the UK apply to workers in Northern Ireland. These minimum wage rates are the hourly rate that workers should be paid by their employers depending on their age or whether they are an apprentice.

National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates change every April. 

The current minimum wage rates are in effect from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.  Click here to view the minimum wage rates.

Ardean ¦ Business Planning

Micro Food Business Investment Scheme to open in March

Grants of up to £50,000 will be available for micro food and drink manufacturers to expand.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has announced that a £1 million capital grant scheme will open in March 2021, to help existing micro food businesses to upscale production to secure new markets for their products.

The scheme aims to enable eligible businesses to:

• begin supplying to the retail or distribution industry
  
• sell more products to the retail or distribution industry
  
• move into sales outside of Northern Ireland

Grants of between £5,000 and £50,000 will be available. The grants will fund up to 50 per cent of eligible costs of new food processing equipment and machinery or dedicated computer software if essential to the operation to the equipment being purchased.

Learn More By Clicking here>>>>

Ardean ¦ Funding For Businesses

Minimum wage rates increase from 1 April 2021

National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates increase from 1 April 2021

Employers should be aware that all minimum wage rates increase on 1 April of each year. This includes all National Minimum Wage rates and the National Living Wage rate. The new minimum wage rates apply to eligible workers in Northern Ireland from 1 April 2021.

Click here to learn more >>>>

Ardean ¦ Business Planning

COVID-19 Micro-business E-commerce Grant

 A new £3 million fund to help retail micro-businesses in Northern Ireland looking to grow their business online.

The COVID-19 Micro-business E-commerce Grant (MBEG) is open to any micro-sized retailer that wants to prepare for growth, develop their customer base and find new markets by enhancing their digital offering, building e-commerce capability and increasing online sales. The scheme was developed and is operated by Invest Northern Ireland.

Learn more about the grant by clicking here >>>>

Ardean ¦ Business Funding

Invest NI opens latest COVID response scheme to help companies improve productivity

Invest Northern Ireland has introduced a new response scheme to help companies recover from business challenges caused by COVID-19.

The COVID-19 Productive Investment Capital Grant (PICG) scheme has been developed to support businesses to make capital investments to adapt to these challenges.

"This is the fifth of eight COVID recovery schemes – some of which are yet to launch. Collectively they are providing £5.5m of financial support this financial year." 

Kevin Holland, CEO, Invest NI

Learn more about this grant by clicking here>>>

Ardean ¦ Business Funding