We will publish our Small Business Strategy later this year with a clear ambition to promote start-ups and encourage entrepreneurship, built around the new Business Growth Service.

Start Up Loans are available across the UK, helping new and early-stage businesses access affordable finance. 209 such loans have been issued to Fylde businesses, worth an aggregate of over £2.1 million.[1]

Existing support offers include Help to Grow: Management - UK, providing practical ways to enhance small business productivity and growth, and the British Business Bank’s Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II provides debt and equity finance for businesses across the North.

[1] Start Up Loans Scheme – lending 2012 to 31/01/2025 | Start Up Loans (to 31 January 2025)

We will continue our work with businesses in the North-West and across the country to understand their assessment of the impact of US tariffs on their operations.

The Government has announced a range of measures to support SMEs, including access to additional finance through the British Business Bank and sector specific measures.

We are also expanding UKEF’s business support package by £20 billion, with £10 billion specifically aimed at businesses impacted by the current US tariffs.

Any business which is concerned about what tariff changes mean for them can find further guidance and support on great.gov.uk.

We will continue our work with businesses in the North-West and across the country to understand their assessment of the impact of US tariffs on their operations. On 8 May we concluded a landmark economic deal with the US, which cuts tariffs for UK industry and cuts costs for businesses.

What we have agreed will provide the foundation for a new reciprocal trading partnership between the US and the UK, protecting businesses and jobs across the country. We are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Deal which will look at increasing digital trade, enhancing access for our world-leading services industries and improving supply chains.

The Government has announced a range of measures to support SMEs, including access to additional finance through the British Business Bank and sector specific measures.

We are also expanding UKEF’s business support package by £20 billion, with £10 billion specifically aimed at businesses impacted by the current US tariffs.

Any business which is concerned about what tariff changes mean for them can find clear guidance and support on great.gov.uk.

Revitalising our high streets is a priority for this government. We are delivering across government to create better conditions for high street businesses to thrive. The new Crime and Policing Bill will give better protection for businesses and retail workers, including those in Fylde, against assault and theft. We have introduced High Street Rental Auction powers for local authorities and before Christmas we opened the 100th Banking Hub – providing essential banking services for businesses and high street users. At the Budget the Chancellor announced plans to work with industry to design a new business rates system.

Our Small Business Strategy, to be published later this year, will set out this Government’s plan for further supporting small businesses across key areas, including on the high street.

Within Fylde constituency, Kirkham is benefitting from £6.29m from the Future High Street Fund and £3.27m from High Street Heritage Action Zone funding. This will help Kirkham become a more vibrant destination through town centre regeneration, bringing benefits to businesses and residents in Fylde.

Government protects the sustainability of the branch network by providing funding on the basis that Post Office meets minimum access criteria for example including in Fylde, that across the country, 99% of the population live within three miles of their nearest Post Office. Government works to ensure Post Office Limited maintains a minimum number of branches and a geographical spread of branches in line with the published access criteria. Along with the annual £50 million subsidy, we have provided a further £37.5 million in December last year to safeguard services in the uncommercial parts of the network.