The Home Office launched a new grants programme of £5m that will help small businesses protect themselves against crime.
The funding is part of the new retail crime action plan (RCAP), which has been drawn up in partnership with the retail industry to help small businesses prevent crime.
The money will provide grants of up to £3, 000 per individual business in 50 key areas, and can be used to buy security devices such as alarms, UV markers, and security grills.
In order to improve a neighbourhood with landscaping or additional lighting, groups of businesses in a certain area, such as a parade of shops, can also team up to bid for bigger grants of up to £50,000.
The action plan also includes an online questionnaire, which lets entrepreneurs assess how secure their business is. The tool, developed by crime prevention experts, also provides advice on simple things they can do to improve the business security.
The fund is opening in mid August and retailers could bid for grants from an expert grants administrator (still to be announced).
FinSMEs
07/08/2009