Local Factsheet - Epsom and Ewell

Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service providing free practical advice and support for businesses at all stages of their journey.

The support they can provide businesses includes:

- A free Business Support Directory with national and local support 
- Tailored one-to-one support for high growth businesses 
- Access to free and low-cost training to develop your workforce 
- Support on relocating and finding premises
- Support in accessing funding and grants to help your business grow 
- Regulation and Licensing advice (via Trading Standards) 
- Connect with Surrey Careers Hub to inspire our future workforce 
- Events and networking opportunities

Eligibility: Available for businesses at all stages including businesses in the pre- start stage.

Website: https://www.businesssurrey.co.uk/

Are you looking for specified information that could benefit your business?

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council provides support on business rates, licensing, economic development, business support options and procurement.

They can also offer business signposting services, information on the local area and help and advice for all stages of business.

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Website: http://www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/business

Tel: 01372 732 000 - General

Surrey County Council supports businesses in the area with business growth support, funding and grants, as well as regulation and licensing Through the Business Surrey service.

The business advice through Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards includes a dedicated telephone and e-mail helpline, e-learning modules, and online guides (businesses who register for the service can access 30 minutes of free advice, after which, charges apply).

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/business-and-consumers

Tel: 03456 009 009 - General enquiries

Tel: 0300 123 2329 - Buckinghamshire & Surrey Trading Standards Business Advice Line

E-mail: business.advice@surreycc.gov.uk

Free, fully funded, short online courses, introducing the key considerations of starting a business or becoming self-employed.  Learners will gain three enterprise qualifications and receive ongoing support for three months post-course. Click here to register your interest.

Following completion of the course, participants will be given exclusive access to KickOff+, comprising three additional short courses; Digital Promotion for Business, Money and Finance, and Innovation, Sustainability and Growth.

They also provide access to the following fully funded courses; Kick Off in Digital – a two-week, live and interactive, online digital skills course. Kick Off in Functional Skills – a self-paced programme completed via an interactive online learning platform, with tutor-led curriculum sessions and 1:1’s.

For ex-offenders who have left the prison service, Through the Gate Support, provides learners with the opportunity to gain a recognised business qualification.  Through a series of engaging sessions, the course covers all the basics of starting up, and supports learners to work with other specialist ex-offender agencies as part of their resettlement journey.  To make an enquiry contact the team by emailing referrals@kickoffinbusiness.co.uk. 

Eligibility: Available for all people over the age of 19.

Website: https://www.kickoffinbusiness.co.uk

General contact form: https://www.kickoffinbusiness.co.uk/contact

Do you have questions about market research and intellectual property?

The BIPC offers guides, highlights useful databases, publications and websites (all of which may be available from local libraries or via the British Library). The guides include resources for the following industries: Advertising; Alcoholic drinks; Books and Publishing; Childrenswear; Confectionery; Construction; Energy; Fashion; Fast Food and Snacks; Footwear; Frozen, chilled and ready-made foods; Furniture; Giftware; Global business; Green and Ethical business and Social Enterprise; Health and Fitness; Horticulture; Insurance; Jewellery; Music; Organic food; Over-the-counter and Complementary Medicine; Packaging; Recruitment and Training; Sports; Telecommunications; Toiletries and Cosmetics; Toys and Games; Travel and Tourism; and TV and Film.

Eligibility: Available to all stages of business, including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://www.bl.uk/bipc/

Tel: 020 7412 7901

E-mail: bipc@bl.uk

Online contact form: https://bl.libanswers.com/form.php?queue_id=2495

Do you need specialist support with an innovative project?

SINC provides expertise and practical help for innovative ambitious start-ups, scale-ups and high-growth businesses and corporate innovation projects. They offer a range of tailored support services, access to professional networks, events and flexible office space and a gateway to accessing the resources of the University of Sussex.

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://www.sussexinnovation.co.uk/

Tel: 01273 704 400 (Falmer) or

Tel: 0203 828 1300 (Croydon)

E-mail: info@sinc.co.uk

Invest in Surrey provides support with relocation and expansion needs. Property, locality and sector research. Introductions and engagement with local professionals and networks. Facilitation of meetings to help navigates regulatory requirements. Aftercare service.

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://investinsurrey.co.uk/

E-mail: investinsurrey@surreycc.gov.uk

Surrey-i is a free local information portal providing data, information and analysis about local areas and the whole of Surrey.

It offers information on the people, places and issues in Surrey by helping you to find statistics, maps, info graphics, analysis and links to useful information to help you to conduct market research.

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Website: http://www.surreyi.gov.uk/mainmenu.aspx

Online contact form: www.surreyi.gov.uk/help/contact/

Surrey Libraries offer a remote enquiry and information service to people and businesses in the Surrey area. They also offer access to start-up information and business reference tools in branch.

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/libraries/business-and-intellectual-property-centre

E-mail: libraries@surreycc.gov.uk

SETsquared is a enterprise partnership and a collaboration between the six leading research-led UK universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey. The business incubator provides a wide range of support programmes to help turn ideas into thriving businesses.

Eligibility: Available for all stages of business including businesses not yet trading within the innovation and technology sector.

Website: http://www.setsquared.co.uk/

Online contact form: http://www.setsquared.co.uk/contact-us

The Gatwick Diamond Initiative provides a range of business support services to existing businesses and businesses looking to relocate to the Gatwick Diamond area.

Support includes signposting, help and advice to relocate a business, a bespoke premises search service, and statistical information on the Gatwick Diamond area. Some services may be chargeable.

Eligibility: Available for businesses that have begun trading.

Website: https://investgatwickdiamond.co.uk/the-gdi/

A police-led and not-for-profit organisation providing support to help protect businesses from cybercrime. You will gain access to a range of different tools and resources providing you with practical steps to protect your business. Different membership levels are available, including a free membership package. A range of cyber resilience services are also available – more information can be found on the website. 

Eligibility: Available to all stages of business. 

Website: https://www.secrc.co.uk/

A programme for manufacturing companies in the South East of England. Made Smarter is designed to help accelerate growth, boost productivity and increase competitive edge through new digital technologies.
This includes support from Technical Experts to help businesses switch to advanced and automated technologies, up to 50% match-funding, specialist advice, leadership training and student placements.  

To find out more and make an enquiry, visit the website.

Eligibility: Manufacturing businesses trading longer than two years, with a turnover above £100,000.

Closing date: March 2026

Website: https://www.madesmarter.uk/adoption/in-my-region/south-east/

Innovate UK Business Growth (was Innovate UK EDGE) is a key part of the UK innovation agency’s investment in the innovative businesses that drive economic growth. It provides intensive, specialist-led support to ambitious innovation-led businesses to help them grow and scale.

Each high-potential, innovative business is supported by a dedicated innovation & growth specialist local to them. The specialist will consider a business in the round and, working closely with its leadership, identify the most productive ways to accelerate its growth. This could be by working on the core business plan and value proposition or through exploiting innovation, accessing funding and finance, and/or expanding into new markets.

In particular, the specialists can help companies to develop an innovation-driven business plan; understand how to protect and create value from their intellectual property; develop a strategy to fund and finance their innovation, growth and be investment ready; connect to new partners for commercial, technology and R&D collaborations; and discover opportunities in overseas markets learning how to capitalise on them.

Innovate UK Business Growth  also offer the Scaleup Programme for enhanced support, the Global Incubator Programme and the Global Business Innovation Programme.

Eligibility: Available for businesses that have begun trading (innovative businesses, looking to grow and scale their business in the UK market and internationally) with up to 500 employees (250 in Northern Ireland). It is not suitable for pre-starts, or for those businesses who have no ambition to grow through innovation or internationalisation.

Website: https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/business-growth/

Online Contact Form: https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/business-growth-contact/ 

Tel: 0300 123 3066  (National Gateway)

Do you need legal advice? Lawyers for your business is a scheme offering a free half-hour consultation with a member of the Law Society.

The lawyer will not be able to deal with existing legal issues but can help with general legal enquiries about starting a business, employing people, contracts with customers and suppliers, taking on leased premises, business structures, health and safety and raising finance. When contacting a solicitor for a 30-minute free consultation you must advise you are calling regarding the Lawyers for your business scheme and use the named contact on the sheet sent to you from the service.

Eligibility: Available for businesses trading up to 12 months including businesses not yet trading.

Website: https://solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/

Tel: 020 7320 5650 - If you need help with using the find a solicitor section, Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm

E-mail: lfyb@lawsociety.org.uk - please include postcode or town/city in the e-mail.

For solicitors interested in joining the LFYB scheme
https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/career-advice/individual-accreditations/lawyers-for-your-business

The Samuel Wilson Loan Trust offers Loans of up to £50,000 to people over 18 and under 40 years old for establishing and developing new businesses, and who are "in need by reason of ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage."

Loan amounts are dependent on the type of business: Loans of up to £50,000 are available for limited companies. Sole traders can apply for loans of between £25,000-£50,000.

Eligibility: Available for businesses who have been trading for less than 3 years, or a just about to start up a business. Please note that the Trust does not loan to any business whose primary trade is the manufacture or sale of alcohol. The process to access a loan can take between 2-4 months.

Website: Samuel Wilson's Loan Trust - City of London

E-mail: SWLT.Enquiries@cityoflondon.gov.uk (contact via e-mail only)

Are you looking to explore your loan & equity options?

FSE offers a range of loans and equity finance for innovative growth companies. You need to be able to demonstrate the potential for significant growth and investment-ready to apply. You can find more information on the funds available via the website.

Eligibility: Available to businesses that have begun trading.

Website: https://www.thefsegroup.com/

Tel: 01276 608 510

E-mail: fundingenquiries@thefsegroup.com

Offers business finance to businesses who might struggle to gain access to finance through mainstream lenders. Accredited business support partners of British Business Bank offering Start Up Loans, Recovery Loans and Growth Loans to businesses in the South East and East of England.

Business growth loans range from £20,000 - £150,000 and are available to businesses who have been trading for at least 24 months who are looking to grow. Some earlier stage businesses can be considered.

Website: https://www.letsdobusinessfinance.co.uk/business-loans

Tel: 0844 415 2272

E-mail: info@ldbgroup.co.uk

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council
Guidance on the council's procurement strategy and how to do business with them.
www.epsom-ewell.gov.uk/business/procurement-epsom-and-ewell-borough-council
E-mail: procurement@epsom-ewell.gov.uk 

Surrey County Council
A wealth of information from how to become a council supplier, a contracts register and much more.
https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/business/supplying-the-council

SE Shared Service e-Sourcing portal
The portal is a collaboration between public sector authorities in the South East region to provide a simple, secure and efficient way for managing sourcing and quotation activities, reducing time and cost for buyers and suppliers.
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sesharedservices/aspx/Home

Supply to Surrey
Central website with information on a variety of Surrey contract opportunities.
https://www.supplytosurrey.co.uk/
E-mail: supplytosurrey@surreycc.gov.uk 

Business Surrey
Events listing from the Growth Hub in Surrey.
https://www.businesssurrey.co.uk/events/

Surrey Chambers of Commerce
Networking, webinars, presentations and much more for businesses from Surrey Chambers.
https://www.surrey-chambers.co.uk/event-listing/

IoD South
Courses and events in the South.
https://www.iod.com/events-community/regions/south/events-webinars

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
Events calendar for UK based businesses.
https://www.fsb.org.uk/event-calendar.html

Business Surrey
Information on business space, enterprise zones and hubs in Surrey.
Website: https://www.businesssurrey.co.uk/relocate/