Business Gateway
Offers professional resources and support to help anyone starting up or growing a business, including workshops, events, news and advice.
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.
Develop your business skills
Find out what training and information is available to help you develop your business skills.
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.
Get exporting help and support
Find the organisations and websites you need to support your exporting journey, from starting out to growing your export business.
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.
Intellectual property
Find out what intellectual property is and how to protect it in the UK and abroad.
IT and running a business online
Information on IT and how to run a business online.
Leaving school: your options
Choices when you leave school including university, college, jobs, modern apprenticeships, starting a business, armed forces, jobs 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, how to qualify for relief (discount) schemes and appeals.
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 develop your idea
Information on organisations who can help you develop your idea.
Organisations that can help your business
Information on government organisations that can help businesses in Scotland.
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: first steps
For people thinking about starting a business or becoming self-employed.
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 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.
