Support fund opens for smaller businesses

Grants of up to £2 000 are available for smaller businesses to help them adapt to new customs and tax rules when trading with the EU.

The government’s £20m small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) Brexit support fund enables traders to access practical support including training for new customs rules of origin and VAT processes.

Katherine Green and Sophie Dean directors general borders and trade at HMRC said: ‘We recognise that changes to customs rules have been challenging for small and micro businesses and this is why we are encouraging business owners to apply for support through the SME Brexit support fund.’

To be eligible businesses must import or export goods between Great Britain and the EU or move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

This comes after the government set out a new timetable for introducing import border control processes to enable UK businesses to...