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.
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
Employment Support - Recruiting, Developing and Retaining Your Workforce
FREE Salary and Benefits Report
Worcestershire’s Workforce Planning Platform
Considering hiring an apprentice?
HR Policies & Procedures
TRAINING
Free Online Training for Better Workplace Management
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
Find Training and Employment Schemes for Your Business
Improving Essential Skills for the Workplace
Workplace Wellbeing Resources
Free Adult Courses
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
How to make your business more energy efficient
Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS)
Energy Efficiency for Businesses - GOV.UK Campaign
Greening Your Business – Sustainable Business 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
Herefordshire funding opportunities for local communities
Worcestershire community projects and funding
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
Starting your own business
Enterprising Worcestershire business coaching
BUSINESS SUPPORT
FREE Business Support
FREE Business mentoring
Skills Bootcamps
Delivery Partner: Worcestershire County Council and the Worcestershire Growth Hub.
County: Worcestershire
Professional Business Advisors
Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA)
Innovation for a Safer Future
Delivery Partner: HM Gov
County: Herefordshire & Worcestershire
Marches Growth Hub Herefordshire Business Workshops
Business Growth Support – Advice, Funding and Growth Opportunities
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
British Business Bank Finance Hub
GRANTS
NEW | Herefordshire Future Skills Grant
NEW | Herefordshire Defence and Security Research and Development Grant
Delivery Partner: Herefordshire Council
County: Herefordshire
NEW | Youth Guarantee Employer Grants
Delivery Partner: Careers Worcs and Worcestershire County Council.
County: Worcestershire
Employers could receive up to £5,000 in support when recruiting eligible young people aged 16-24.
NEW | The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS)
Delivery Partner: UK Government
County: Great Britain
Eligible manufacturers in Great Britain could save up to £40 per MWh on electricity costs from April 2027.
SkillsBoost Hospitality
Delivery Partner: Worcestershire Growth Hub in partnership with Worcestershire County Council
County: Malvern & Wychavon
Malvern & Wychavon hospitality businesses will be able to claim back 50% of the training costs, up to £3,000 per organisation and up to £1,500 per employee.
Sustainability Grants & Support for Businesses
Funding and Grant Opportunities with Innovate UK
Workplace Employee Wellbeing Grants
Delivery Partner: Worcestershire County Council
County: Worcestershire
Projects can apply for £500 to £3,000.
MARKETING
*FREE Introduction to Digital Marketing and PR Course
FREE training course (eligibility: Chamber Members)
Delivery Partner: HW Chamber
Value: £150
County: Herefordshire & Worcestershire
Google Ad Grants - Free Digital Advertising for Eligible Nonprofits
Delivery Partner: Google for Nonprofits
County: National (UK)
Up to £7,000 per month in search ads shown on Google.com.
Become a Chamber Member!
Contact our Chamber Membership team to find out how we can help your business.