These support schemes and networks are available across the UK:

• Apprenticeships – explore the different funding opportunities available to support you when hiring apprentices.
• Business rates relief – some businesses in England are eligible for a reduction in their business rates bill. This is called ‘business rates relief’. The rules for business rates relief are different if your property is in Scotland, your property is in Wales or your property is in Northern Ireland.
• Capital allowances – businesses who are eligible can fully expense their plant and machinery costs and access 50% first-year allowances for special rate expenditure from April 2023 until 31 March 2026
• Clean Growth Fund invests in early stage UK companies seeking investment capital for low carbon activities
• Electric vehicle chargepoint and infrastructure grant guidance provides information on grants to help with the costs of purchase and installation for businesses, commercial and residential landlords, and in residential carparks and on-street parking
• Energy Saving Trust’s ‘Transport for funding for businesses and local authorities’ for information on low carbon transport grants and loans available in the UK and Scotland
• Gigabit vouchers give up to £1,500 for homes and £3,500 for businesses to install high speed internet in rural areas
• Green Economy allows SMEs to buy and sell low carbon products and services to other businesses
• Green Skills Bootcamps are part of the Government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee. They are designed to provide industry relevant training and sector-based skills for eligible individuals or those who are self-employed. Employers can use the list of Skills Bootcamps training providers to find local colleges and providers to work with.
• Industrial Energy Transformation Fund gives matching funds to businesses with high energy use from industrial processes matching funds – up to £30M for feasibility studies, efficiency measures and decarbonisation deployment. For queries about the IETF for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, contact IETF@beis.gov.uk. For queries about the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (SIETF), contact IETF@gov.scot
• VAT will no longer be charged from 2022 to 2027 on some domestic energy saving measures in England, Scotland and Wales. Eligible measures include insulation, heat pumps, solar panels, wind turbines and more. In Northern Ireland, the list of qualifying goods and rate of VAT due on installations will remain unchanged. The Northern Ireland Executive will receive a Barnett share of the value of the relief until it can be introduced UK-wide.
• Workplace Charging Scheme gives businesses up to £350 per socket (up to a total of 40) to install electric vehicle chargepoints (apply before 31 March 2026)
• Wrap supports a voluntary agreement on food waste – the Courtauld Commitment 2030 – which enables collaborative action across the entire UK food chain to deliver farm-to-fork reductions in food waste, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and water stress that will help the UK food and drink sector achieve global environmental goals

You can also search GOV.UK’s list of active funds that help businesses become greener, or the UK Research and Innovation’s list of business competitions that award grants for green projects.

You can go to the Federation of Small Businesses or your local chamber for advice.

These support schemes and networks are available in Scotland:

• Business Energy Scotland gives SMEs access to consulting, loans (up to £100,000) and grants (up to £20,000) for energy efficiency and renewable heat measures
• Climate Springboard: Edinburgh Climate Change Institute runs a free online programme for Scottish businesses approximately every six weeks. Open to any SME, the programme helps companies to reduce their carbon emissions
• eBike loans offer interest-free loans of up to £6,000 for the purchase of an approved electric bike – the repayment period is 4 years
• Energy Investment Fund offers loans and investments for commercial and community-based low carbon energy projects
• Find Business Support gives customers an overview of all funding and services offered by public sector organisations across Scotland
• Highland Council Shared Prosperity funding supports these initiatives for SMEs as part of their strategic plan:
  • start-up rate, SME growth and sustainability
  • business development funding & support
  • specialist support for businesses
• NESTRANS Sustainable Travel Scheme gives SMEs and community organizations up to £10,000 in matching funds for sustainable transport initiatives – must be based in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire
• Private Rented Sector Landlord Loans lets property management businesses borrow up to £15,000 for energy efficiency and £17,000 for renewable systems – interest and fees apply
• Small Business Bonus Scheme provides rates relief to help owners of non-domestic properties, including businesses
• SME Loan Scheme – Business Energy Scotland offers interest-free loans from £1,000 to £100,000 to pay for energy efficiency and carbon reducing upgrades – up to £30,000 can be provided as a grant if installing eligible equipment
• Vehicle retrofits and safe disposal of non-compliant vehicles funds are available from Energy Saving Trust – must be a SME with 9 employees or less and located within 20km of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen or Dundee
• Zero Waste Scotland also offers free support and advice for businesses, including a free energy assessment and comprehensive report with actions you can take to reduce emissions