What is needed to make the North of England the best place to start and grow a business?

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is undertaking research to contribute to an upcoming report on what is needed to make the North of England the best place in the UK and beyond to start and grow a business.

FSB regularly publish reports on a range of important issues impacting the small business community across the UK. These reports inform all campaigning and advocacy activity to ensure small businesses and the self-employed are at the heart of policy and decision-making at both local and national levels.

Given the significant changes to the economic conditions and business climate in recent years, FSB’s team across the North of England are conducting new research into the barriers to success impacting the small business community in the region, giving small business owners the chance to feed in their views on what they need to thrive.

FSB’s Policy Representative for Yorkshire, The Humber and the North East, Mohammed Hussain, said: “Across the North West, North East, Yorkshire & The Humber, 99% of the 1.05 million businesses are SME’s and sole traders. Recent FSB data has highlighted small business confidence and sentiment is at an all-time low, with businesses across the North faring below the national average.

“By their nature, small business owners and entrepreneurs are dynamic, and innovative – resilience and optimism are core attributes of those courageous individuals who choose to take the self-employment leap. Their confidence and optimism taking such a huge plunge is indicative of the significance of the challenges they face.

“Small businesses are the drivers of innovation, creativity, and productivity; they are the backbone of our economy not only for their economic contribution, but as pillars in their communities and employers of over 16 million people across the UK.

“Now more than ever it is crucial to ensure policy and decision-makers understand the challenges businesses in the North are facing and act to address the same.

“With challenges continuing to compound and negatively impact our economic backbone, what are the barriers to business success and how can these be addressed? What is needed to make the North of England the best place to start and grow a business?

“This research is an opportunity for business owners to tell us what is important to them. “We urge all small business owners and sole traders across the North to spare 10 minutes to take part in our survey and tell us what they need.”

To take part, visit: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/EntrepreneurialNorth