The SME Brexit Support Fund is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses new to importing or exporting.
The fund could help businesses with grants of up to £2,000, enabling them to invest in training or professional advice to meet their customs, excise, import VAT or safety and security declaration requirements.
How the grant can be used
Businesses could be eligible for a grant to provide training on:
- Completing customs declarations;
- Managing customs processes and use customs software and systems; and
- Understanding specific import and export related aspects including VAT, excise and rules of origin.
Eligibility
To receive the grant, businesses must
- Have been established in the UK for at least twelve months before submitting the application, or currently hold Authorised Economic Operator status;
- Not previously failed to meet its tax or customs obligations;
- Have no more than 500 employees;
- Have no more than £100 million turnover; and
- Import or export goods between Great Britain and the EU, or move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Businesses must also complete, or intend or complete, import or export declarations internally or use someone else to complete declarations but require additional capability internally to effectively import or export – for example, advice on rules of origin or dealing with a supply chain.
How to apply
Applications are online, with grants administered by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for HMRC.
Applications will close on 30 June 2021, or earlier if all funding is allocated before this date.