Support
Cost Savings Hub
Welcome to Chamber Cost Saving Hub
Introducing our Cost Saving Hub!
Businesses, and their employees, across Herefordshire and Worcestershire have been and continue to face challenges with the costs of doing business and cost of living generally. These pressures combined, make business growth hard to maintain. We’ll continue to carry out research into business conditions, seek support locally and nationally, and share best practice from Members and business partners.
The Cost Saving Hub seeks to provide quick links to real cost savings and will be updated as our Chamber team find and receive new information.
SkillsBoost Programme 2025/26
SkillsBoost is a funding programme to help organisations in Herefordshire and Worcestershire with the costs of upskilling and training their employees. Eligible businesses of any size can claim back 50% of training costs, up to £6,000 per business and £1,500 per employee, for approved accredited and non-accredited courses (excluding legally required training like Health & Safety).
The programme runs from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026 and eligibility depends on both business and employee location. Full details and application steps can be found in the official programme guide.
PEOPLE
It is widely recognised that People are a business’s most important asset. This becomes more important when that asset are experiencing hardship and the labour market is so tight.
Use this section to find direct cost support for your PEOPLE.
PLANNING
Recruitment and workforce support, including legislation
FREE Salary and Benefits report for local salary/benefit research and data comparison
TRAINING
Introduction to Digital Marketing and PR
FREE training course (eligibility: Chamber Members)
Delivery Partner: HW Chamber
Value: £150
County: Herefordshire & Worcestershire
FREE online training modules, on a number of topics
FREE online training modules, on a number of topics including:
Equality/Diversity/Inclusion, contracts/hours/pay, dealing with workplace problems, leave and time off, managing people/performance, mental health and redundancy
Delivery Partner: ACAS
County: Herefordshire & Worcestershire
Free workplace wellbeing support
A range of government programmes are available for employers who are considering hiring employees, offering work experience or upskilling existing staff, some of which offer financial incentives
BUSINESS COSTS
Businesses have reported increasingly that cost pressures are creating problems. Supply chain concerns following Brexit, Covid, and the Ukraine War were then overtaken by energy costs, interest rates and inflationary increases.
Use this section to find direct cost support for your BUSINESS COSTS.
ENERGY
Free advice, energy assessments and grants for energy efficiency and renewable energy measures to SMEs
Net Zero Worcestershire Support
RATES
Small business rates relief - Worcester
Rateable value must be less that £15k
Delivery Partner: Worcester City Council
County: Worcestershire
Rates Funding
COMMUNITIES
Funding for Charities & Voluntary sector
GROWTH
Chambers of Commerce have an passion for local business growth at its core. Growth of business supports the local community, creating prosperity for its people.
Use this section to find direct cost support for your business GROWTH.
START UPS
Business Start Up Funding Worcester
FREE Startup and self-employment programme
Coaching for Businesses in Worcestershire under 3 years old
If you have launched a business within the last 3 years and are looking to further establish yourself in the market, Enterprising Worcestershire’s Coaching Programme can help you to do just that. The fully funded programme can help you to establish a strong foundation, empower you to make informed decisions and guide your business to develop and grow.
Delivery Partner: Worcestershire County Council
County: Worcestershire
BUSINESS SUPPORT
FREE Business Support
FREE Business mentoring
British Business Bank Finance Hub
Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA)
Innovation for a Safer Future
Delivery Partner: HM Gov
County: Herefordshire & Worcestershire
Malvern Hills Enterprise Scheme
The aim of the scheme is to support new and young businesses in the Malvern Hills district. The scheme will encourage the occupation of vacant commercial premises, help regenerate town centres, stimulate entrepreneurship, create new jobs, and enhance the sustainability of new businesses.
Delivery Partner: Malvern Hills District Council and HM Gov
County: Malvern
Marches Growth Hub Herefordshire Business Workshops
Worcestershire Growth Hub - Skills Bootcamp
Local businesses can access funded training to help upskill or retrain their staff via Skills Bootcamps.
Skills Bootcamps, part of the Government’s Skills for Life programme, are shaped training courses that have been co-designed to benefit employers and respond to their skills shortages.
Delivery Partner: Worcestershire Growth Hub
County: Worcestershire
FINANCE
Merchant Cash Advance Finance for businesses trading less than 12 months
Finance for SMEs in the UK with no fixed payments, fixed terms or security required
Delivery Partner: Marches Growth Hub
Value: up to £300,000
County: Herefordshire
GRANTS
UKSPF Herefordshire Research and Development Grant
Delivery Partner: Herefordshire Council
County: Herefordshire
The UKSF Herefordshire Research and Development Grant is a revenue grant scheme funded through Herefordshire Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation for 2025/6.
Growth Grant for Businesses that have been trading longer than 12 months
Grant for Herefordshire Voluntary and Community organisations
Delivery Partner: Herefordshire Council
Value: Maximum of £250,000
County: Herefordshire Council
North Worcestershire Energy Grant - Up to 75%
Funding and Grant Opportunities with Innovate UK
Become a Chamber Member!
Contact our Chamber Membership team to find out how we can help your business.