Creating a supportive environment to foster the growth of social enterprise is a priority for the Coalition. This includes access to appropriate finance and a supportive tax system, along with developing an embedded culture of social enterprise and providing access to appropriate support.

Access to appropriate, high quality business support is an important part of this work. It can make the difference between success and failure in the start-up phases and as a social enterprise develops.

As the primary driver for social enterprises is their social and/or environmental impact, their support needs differ from those of mainstream businesses. If the social enterprise movement is to grow, it is essential they have access to high quality, appropriate and well informed business support.

The Government spends £2.5bn per year in directly supporting businesses. However, our members report that this support frequently fails to understand all the various models of social enterprise and to recognise how their needs differ from mainstream business.

Recent changes in the business support landscape in England are having a significant impact on the support available to social enterprises. The regional consolidation of business support means that Regional Development Agencies have taken responsibility for Business Links. Additionally a number of programmes led by the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) are influencing this agenda. These include The Business Support Simplification Programme (BSSP).

We have and will continue to work with our regional partners and other umbrella bodies to ensure that high quality business support is widely available to social enterprises.

We are also working to influence the broader enterprise agenda. In March 2008 the Government produced an Enterprise White Paper setting out how the Government plans to support business in the UK. This includes building an enterprise culture in the UK. We believe that social enterprise should be embedded throughout this programme.

One of the areas we are working on is ensuring that young people understand social enterprise as a business model and career option. Following a successful campaign, social enterprise now features for the first time on the curriculum for GCSE business studies.

 

Consultations:

CLG and BERR consultation on Prosperous Places (June 2008)

BERR consultation on Simplifying Business Support (September 2007)