£20m Brexit support fund announced to help SMEs

A £20m fund to help SMEs with changes to trade rules with the EU has been announced by Government.

It means traders can apply for a grant of up to £2,000 to pay for practical support for importing and exporting.

The Government says the fund will help businesses prepare for the implementation of import controls which are due to come into force from April and July.

Practical support includes training and professional advice to ensure firms can continue trading effectively with the EU.

Dan Clarke, policy manager at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “We are delighted to see that the government has introduced grant support funding to help small businesses adapt to the new trading arrangements with the EU.

“Small businesses do not have the expertise in-house nor the financial reserves to bring in the outside support they need to adjust, particularly given the impact of the pandemic.

As we reported earlier this week, many businesses exporting to the EU have experienced difficulties and there was no phased implementation period for exporters to help them with the new trading arrangements.

“With further changes to import controls set to be brought in in April and July, it is vital that this grant funding reaches businesses as quickly as possible so that they are ready for when these new controls are introduced.

“The Chamber 's International Business Hub is on hand to support businesses in adapting to the new post-Brexit trading environment and runs accredited international training courses that can help bring businesses up to speed on import and export procedures. ”