To be eligible for up to one day of Expert Help your business must meet ALL of the following:
- based in Argyll and Bute
- full-time (operating 35+ hours per week)
- micro or small-sized (fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees and either annual turnover not exceeding £10.2m or an annual balance sheet not exceeding £5.1m)
- actively trading for at least 6 months prior to application date
- able to evidence actual annual turnover above £25,000 per year
- currently providing full-time employment for yourself (or at least 1 FTE member of staff) paying the equivalent of the Real Living Wage or above (currently this equates to £24,479 per year)
- either a sole trader, partnership, or limited company. Applications from social or community enterprises are welcome provided they meet the eligibility criteria and generate significant earned income from trading or service level agreements. Grant income or donations are not considered earned income for the purposes of these grants.
In addition, you as the applicant must be:
- aged 18 years or over
- a UK resident, or able to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK and access public funds
You are ineligible for Expert Help if:
- you have debts of any kind owing to the Council. A check will be made when you submit an application form.
- supporting your business is likely to have a significant negative impact on other Argyll and Bute based businesses.
- your business is not full time (i.e. operates less than 35 hours per week).
- your business is involved in the sex industry; politics; religion; nude or semi-nude modelling or photography; multi-level marketing/pyramid selling or any business that may bring Argyll and Bute Council into disrepute. Organisations with restricted membership are not eligible to apply.
- your project is eligible for full funding through other public bodies.
- you are an undischarged bankrupt or have bankruptcy proceedings pending against you.
- your business (including any parent company) has received more than £315,000 in public sector subsidies over the last 3 financial years.
Please read all the information for applicants and the Terms and Conditions before contacting Business Gateway on 01546 604555 if you have any questions about applying for this support. If you do not meet the criteria you may be eligible for a one-hour Expert Help surgery instead.
