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Running a business from a physical premises has never been straightforward, and the last few years have made it harder. Footfall patterns have shifted, costs have risen, and the support available often feels like it was designed for someone else.
It wasn't. There's a solid set of government-backed programmes aimed directly at high street and local businesses, and most owners we speak to haven't come across half of them. This edition, produced with the Department for Business and Trade, brings the most useful ones together in one place.
The rates changes alone are worth ten minutes of your time. The rest is a straightforward guide to what's available and how to get to it.
Pick what fits and use it. Start with our latest guide: High street support - where to start.
Business Growth Service
The government’s main hub for business support. If you’re not sure where to begin, start here and it will point you in the right direction.
Business Support Service
Free help by phone, email or web-chat to work out which local or national support is relevant to your business.
Growth Hubs
Free, impartial, locally delivered support funded by DBT and run in partnership with local authorities. Growth Hubs can connect you to local advice and funding, fast.
➡️Business rates relief: If you pay business rates on your premises, check whether you're eligible for relief, including small business rate relief, which can reduce or eliminate your bill depending on your property's rateable value.
➡️Retail, hospitality and leisure business rates multipliers (England, from 1 April 2026): If you run a shop, pub, café, restaurant or leisure business, permanently lower business rates multipliers replace the annual temporary relief from next month. Check whether your property qualifies, as the rules are slightly different to the old relief scheme.
🛍️ High Street Rental Auctions: Local councils can now auction long-vacant commercial units to new tenants, including local businesses and community groups. If a unit near you has sat empty for months, this could be your route in
🛍️ Pride of Place Programme: A programme that gives businesses a voice in how their local area is developed and funded, through neighbourhood boards in participating areas. Worth checking if your area is involved.
🏴 Business Gateway (Scotland): Scotland's national business support service, free and delivered locally. Offers one-to-one advice, workshops, webinars and market research to businesses at any stage, with advisers across the country.
🏴 Business Wales (Wales): The Welsh Government's free business support service, with local advisers, online guidance and training covering everything from starting out to growing an established business.
🏴 Transforming Towns (Wales): Grant and loan funding to help regenerate town centres across Wales, including bringing empty commercial properties back into use. Delivered through local authorities, so contact your council to check what's available in your area.
Real examples and practical next steps for high street and local businesses.
📖 Blog: How to build business resilience
🎟️ Upcoming event: How to build the team you need
That’s all for this week!
Thank you for reading. We hope these resources will help support your business. If you have any questions, please hit reply. We’re here to help!
The UK Government’s Business Growth Service aims to connect businesses to the right UK Government support when they need it most. Whether you're a start-up looking for funding, an established SME seeking to export, or a growing company navigating regulations, the service provides tailored guidance to help you access grants, advice and resources across government. Visit business.gov.uk to find the support that's right for your business.