Self-employed entrepreneurs make up 18% of the UK?s disabled workforce. This compares to 14% self-employment among non-disabled workers. Business grant applications are therefore more likely to come from disabled entrepreneurs than anyone else. Many organizations take positive action to encourage such applications. Some also run specific business grant and award schemes for disabled people.
Access to Work
Disabled entrepreneurs may have health problems that limit what they can do at work. These health problems can restrict an entrepreneur?s potential.
The Access to Work scheme can help. It gives money to pay for equipment that makes a disabled entrepreneur?s working life easier. An entrepreneur may be unable to use a computer keyboard, for example. Access to Work may come to the entrepreneur?s aid by funding voice-recognition software. Access to Work can also assist with travel expenses and the costs of a support worker. For more information about the Access to Work scheme, contact a Disability Employment Adviser (DEA). DEAs work at Jobcentres. Regional Access to Work centres also offers help.
Kaleidoscope Investments
Kaleidoscope Investments invests anything up to 500k into a disabled business and in return they will take small equity from the company. If you don't mind giving a share in exchange for funding then its defiantly worth checking out. www.kaleidoscopeinvestments.com
Disabled Entrepreneurs
The main Hub for Disabled Entrepreneurs in the UK, they offer business support in a variety of ways as well disability news and more new services keep on getting launched, so defiantly keep an eye on this site. www.disabledentrepreneurs.co.uk
Blind Business Association Charitable Trust
The Blind Business Association Charitable Trust (BBACT) exists to help blind and partially sighted entrepreneurs. Such entrepreneurs may need financial help for equipment that enables them to do their work effective
Some blind or partially sighted entrepreneurs may also need money to fund training courses. BBACT may be able to pay training expenses.
BBACT
BBACT also makes grants available for business expansion. These grants are particularly useful if banks are being cautious about extending credit and loans to companies.
BBACT?s helpline is 0845 0450696.
Stelios Disabled Entrepreneur Award
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is the chairman of easy group and founder of Easyjet. He has joined with the Leonard Cheshire charity to create the Stelios Disabled Entrepreneur Award. The award is annual and worth £50,000. Applicants must show how the award will change their business.
The Prince?s Trust
The Prince?s Trust helps 18-30-year-old disabled entrepreneurs. There are grants for new businesses and for market research. Market research grants are invaluable. They give a disabled entrepreneur the vital market information he or she needs before setting up an enterprise.
The Prince?s Trust also puts disabled entrepreneurs in touch with business mentors. Mentors have the business experience that helps an entrepreneur succeed with a new venture. Trading Places Awards
Barclays Bank runs the Trading Places Awards scheme. The scheme provides grants to disabled people who have lost employment because of a disability. The purpose of the grants is to set up a business.
UnLtd
UnLtd offers grants to disabled people who wish to become social entrepreneurs. Social entrepreneurship is about improving society. Such improvements may be environmental or educational.
UnLtd has six regional offices and a head office in London. The London phone number is 0207 566 1100.https://www.unltd.org.uk/
Capital Enterprise Disabled entrepreneurs who live in London can seek grants from the New Entrepreneur Scholarships scheme run by Capital Enterprise. The organization?s phone number is 0207 843 4331.
Grants are up to £1,500. This helps cover the cost of setting up a business. Capital Enterprise also runs networking and training events.
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