Help to scale-up and grow

Take the next step to increase your sales, build your leadership and management skills, develop your staff and find extra funding.

Home » Help to scale-up and grow

Management skills, training and mentors

Help to Grow Management Course – Boost your leadership and management skills

The UK Government’s Help to Grow: Management Course is designed and delivered by entrepreneurs and industry experts at world-class business schools. Run over 12 weeks, the course includes online and face-to-face sessions, 1-to-1 mentoring and peer networking. With just one session a week, it is designed to fit around existing work and personal commitments.

Female employee working smiling

Help to Grow: Management Essentials

Building on the success of the Help to Grow: Management Course, we will launch Help to Grow: Management Essentials in April 2024. This free self-guided online course will include bite-sized videos and online resources on different business topics.

You can register your interest now.

Find and work with a mentor

Business mentors can help you develop your ideas for growth by sharing their skills, expertise, experience and contacts.

    • Find free and paid-for mentors with knowledge and experience relevant to your business on the mentorsme website.

    • Digital Boost is a free online platform that offers support to small businesses, charities and start-ups.

Man employer reading the resume of a woman employee

Free business essentials courses from the Open University

The UK Government’s Start Up Loans has partnered with the Open University to provide a range of free useful courses covering some business essentials. They’re designed to help business owners understand more about the key aspects of running a business.

Watch the introduction video below and find out more on the Open University website.

Find training and employment schemes

Choose from different schemes that can help you with staff recruitment and skills development.This includes apprenticeships, skills bootcamps, T Levels placements and Higher Technical Qualifications and much more.

Some are free, but there may be other costs incurred for training, wages, or travel for example.

Check out the different schemes suitable for you.

Barclays Eagle Labs

Barclays are providing businesses with a range of services to help them to connect, innovate and grow. Find out more here.

Through a £12m UK Government grant Barclays Eagle Labs is boosting the growth of UK tech startups and scaleups for the next two years. Tap into an ecosystem connecting you to business growth experts through dedicated programmes, mentoring and much more. Find out more including how to join.

Free resources and network from British Library to start or develop your business

The British Library’s Business and IP Centre network supports small business owners, entrepreneurs and inventors to take the right steps to start up, protect and grow their business. The National Network is delivered through regional and local libraries around Britain, offering insights and access to free resources, training and events to help you imagine, start or develop your business.


Finance, funding and employing people

Find the right finance and funding to grow

Explore the right funding and finance options for your business to help you scale and grow and see what Government support is available.

You may need to employ more people

If you need guidance and advice on employment law, recruitment and different training schemes check out our employment guidance page.


Selling products and services to the public sector

There may be opportunities for your business to work with the public sector, including on the current tenders and contracts available.

Help and advice

Contact the Business Support Helpline for general advice and support and speak to someone over the phone or online.

Or find out how your local growth hub can help you with advice and support at any stage of your business journey.