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The government’s Help to Grow: Digital scheme has today opened for applications.

Designed to support smaller businesses in adopting digital technologies so they can grow, eligible businesses can now receive discounts of up to £5,000 off the retail price of approved Digital Accounting and CRM software from leading technology suppliers. This software will help them to effectively manage their finances and build customer relationships, ultimately levelling up the way businesses are run and helping them to scale up.

In addition, businesses can also access practical, specialised support and advice on how to choose the right digital technologies to boost their growth and productivity through a new online platform.

Through Help to Grow: Digital, the government is providing business leaders with the advice and funding they need to embrace digital technology and help their business grow. To qualify for the financial discount through Help to Grow: Digital, businesses can be from any business sector, but must meet all 4 of the following criteria:

• be a business based in the United Kingdom registered with Companies House or be a registered society on the Financial Conduct Authorities Mutuals Register
• be employing between 5 and 249 people.
• have been actively trading for over 12 months, and have an incorporation date of at least 365 days prior to application
• be purchasing the approved software for the first time

Eligible businesses will receive one financial discount towards the purchase of one approved software product up to a maximum of £5,000 (not including VAT) in Customer Relationship Management and Digital Accounting software product categories. Additional software product categories will be available with the discount soon, including e-Commerce software. The financial discount covers 12 months’ worth of approved software product core costs, exclusive of VAT.

Businesses who use CRM systems to manage their sales and customers see on average an 18% boost to their productivity. Digital Accounting software makes essential business finance tasks like raising invoices, tracking spend, and sharing information easier to manage. Businesses who adopt Digital Accounting software see on average an 11.8% increase in employee sales over 3 years.

To find out how your business can get Help to Grow, visit the GOV.UK Help to Grow page.