Enterprise Nation

A new report compiled by Enterprise Nation and sponsored by BT has called for greater support and recognition for home businesses.

The Home Business Report has drawn up a 10 point blueprint, which it believes, if adopted, will help boost the economy and bring increased benefits to the environment and society as a whole.

The report reveals that the home has now become the most popular business start-up location – accounting for more than 60 per cent of all start-ups.

The ten point plan includes:

• Considering financial incentives to encourage home based businesses and make the tax implications clearer and more explicit
• Local authorities taking a more encouraging attitude towards planning applications for live/work schemes and considering investment funding
• Government and enterprise agencies getting actively involved with promotion and marketing campaigns for home based business
• Reconsidering the criteria by which businesses are categorised and offered business expansion grants so firms that choose to subcontract do not lose out
• Introducing a range of indicators at national, regional and local levels to measure the number and impact of home businesses
• Creating a cross-departmental government group dedicated to monitoring changes in the above indicators and influencing policy towards home based business

The report has found that home based businesses account for 28 per cent of employment and have a combined turnover in excess of £364 billion. The highest growth in home business is coming from mums, young people and the over 50s.

Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation and author of the report, said: “This report clearly shows the impact home businesses are having on the economy, environment and society. Every week, more than 1,400 businesses are started from a home base yet we believe there is potential to increase this still further, with some dedicated support from government and enterprise agencies.

“Home business owners are ambitious for business growth and they are making full use of technology to partner with others and trade online. I hope this report will be considered seriously by policy makers so the UK can realize the full potential of home enterprise.”

You can download the report on the link below.

• Home Business Report 2008 (PDF)