Business Gateway

Services

• Buying a business

  Find information on buying a franchise or an existing business.

• Buying or renting premises

  Information on buying or renting business premises, including government or council property.

• Closing a business

  Information about preparing to close or sell your business and closing the sale.

• Employee holiday entitlement and working hours

  Information on the legal responsibilities a business has for working hours and holiday entitlement.

• Employee pay

  Information on your obligations when paying employees, including National Minimum Wage and sick pay.

• Equality and diversity in your workforce

  Find information on maintaining equality and diversity in the workplace.

• Find business events

  Find and register for business events, workshops, seminars and conferences in Scotland.

• Find templates for recruiting staff

  Find templates your business can use to help you recruit new staff members.

• Find training for businesses

  Find help and support to train your staff.

• Get advice on environmental issues

  Find out what organisations can give you advice to help your business become more environmentally friendly.

• Grant funding for businesses in Scotland

  Information on grant funding with some examples of grants available in Scotland to create jobs and new products or services.

• Growing your business

  Find out about growing your business - planning, deciding whether to grow, and the challenges of growing.

• Health and safety at work

  Information on employers' legal responsibility to provide safe and healthy conditions for employees and customers.

• How to do stock control

  Find information on stock control techniques.

• How your local council can help your business

  Find out how your local council can help your business.

• IT and running a business online

  Information on IT and how to run a business online.

• Intellectual property

  Find out what intellectual property is and how to protect it in the UK and abroad.

• Leaving school: your options

  Choices when you leave school including university, college, jobs, modern apprenticeships, starting a business, armed forces and gap years.

• Legal documents you'll need to review if you get funding

  Information on the legal documents you'll need to review if you're successful in getting funding for your idea or business.

• Making sure your idea works

  Information on judging whether an idea is worth developing, including judging costs, customers and competitors.

• Managing risks to your business

  Find information on managing risks to your business.

• Managing your cashflow

  Managing your cashflow is vital for business survival and growth. Every business needs cash available to pay their bills and expenses on time.

• Marketing your business

  Information on marketing and sales for your business.

• Measuring how your business performs

  Find information on measuring how your business performance, including setting targets and key performance indicators.

• Non-domestic rates guidance

  Non-domestic rates in Scotland, including calculating your rates bill.

• Non-domestic rates relief

  Find out about the non-domestic rates reliefs (discounts) available in Scotland, including the Small Business Bonus Scheme, and how to apply.

• Organisations that can help you and your business

  Information on government organisations that can help businesses in Scotland.

• Organisations that can help you develop your idea

  Information on organisations who can help you develop your idea.

• Outsourcing your work

  Find information on how your business can outsource work.

• Planning to sell your business (succession planning and exit readiness)

  Information on selling your business when you plan to leave or retire.

• Recruiting and hiring

  Information on employing staff and checking suitability.

• Researching your customers and competitors

  Information on market research and thinking about the customers and competitors for your idea.

• Save money on running your business

  Find information on how your business can save money on running costs.

• Search for business funding or advice

  Search for business funding, including grant and loan options available in Scotland.

• Selling goods or services in an ethical way

  Find information on how your business can sell goods or services in an ethical way.

• Staff pensions

  Find out what you need to do to enrol your staff in a pension scheme.

• Starting a business from your home

  Information on starting a business from your home including setting up a home office, planning permission, title deeds, health and safety, trading standards and waste management.

• Starting a business: first steps

  For people thinking about starting a business or becoming self-employed.

• Starting to import

  How to import goods and services into the UK .

• Using digital technology in business

  Find information on how your business can use digital technology, such as email, social media, website analytics and eCommerce.

• Working out what your business should spend money on

  Information on capital budgeting and help to work out if spending money on your business is the right thing to do.

• Working with suppliers

  Find information on how to choose and manage suppliers.

• Writing a business plan

  Information on what to include when writing a business plan if you're looking to raise funding or develop an idea.