New Business Growth Service to Simplify Support for UK SMEs The UK government has unveiled the Business Growth Service, a streamlined initiative to make it quicker and easier for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access government advice and support.

Announced by the Business Secretary ahead of Small Business Saturday on December 7, the service aims to address the complexity of the existing support landscape, which only 26% of SME employers used in 2023.

Launching in early 2025, the Business Growth Service will provide a unified, user-friendly platform with a revamped online presence. It will collaborate with small businesses, local authorities, and devolved governments to deliver locally tailored support.

The initiative is inspired by international best practices and forms a key part of the forthcoming Small Business Strategy, central to the government's mission to simplify and reduce the costs of scaling up in the UK.

Small business owners, who currently spend over 33 hours per month on internal administration, stand to save significant time and resources. This is one of several measures introduced as part of a broader effort to support the nation's small businesses, which are vital to the UK economy.

Business and Trade Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, said:  

"We said we'd deliver change for small businesses, and that's exactly what we are doing.  

This government's Plan for Change will deliver economic growth, and for that to succeed we need SMEs right across the country to be exporting, hiring, and expanding.  

That's why we're working tirelessly to ensure every small business has the tools and support at their disposal to thrive."