Support for businesses
Did you know there are grants to help businesses increase capacity in preparation for the UK leaving the EU on 29 March 2019? The training grants are available to customs intermediaries and traders, and the IT grants are available for existing customs intermediaries only.
What is available for customs intermediaries and traders?
£2 million for training grants for any business expecting to complete customs declarations for trade with the EU.
Available to customs intermediaries and traders to cover a proportion of the training costs (up to 70% of costs and £1,050 per person). There is a personal training limit depending on the type of business.
- The funding limit is £750 per person for large businesses,
- £900 for medium-sized businesses or,
- £1,050 per person if the business has 250 employees or less and an annual turnover of €50 million.
The grant will provide funding for training that provides organisations with skills to complete customs declarations and carry out the technical processes of customs procedures.
What is available for IT improvements?
£3 million for IT improvement grants for customs intermediaries who complete customs declarations on behalf of importers and exporters, and who are Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (less than 250 employees and annual turnover less than €50 million).
The IT improvement grant will provide funding toward purchasing the first year license of a packaged software solution to increase the automation or productivity of businesses in completing customs declarations
The funding can also be used:
- To buy hardware that’s needed for the software to run,
- To install and configure the software and hardware,
- For related software training.
PwC are delivering the schemes on behalf of HMRC. Applications will close on 5 April 2019. De-Minimis state-aid is applied for both schemes.