1. FEDERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES

2. Profile by employment 91% of businesses employ 4 or less 7% of businesses employ 5 to 20 Only 2% of businesses employ more than 21

3. The Federation of Small Businesses What is the FSB? –A nationwide lobby group –Formed in 1974 –180,000 members – over 22,000 in the SW – 0 to 199 staff

4. FSB Membership - Trade Breakdown

5. Aims and objectives –To lobby on behalf of small businesses –To provide a safety net of different benefits and services; all of which are included in the basic membership fee Protect, promote and further the interests of all small businesses

6. Benefits Free - Legal advice Free full cover, representation and protection –Inland Revenue –VAT –Employment disputes –Health and Safety –Jury Service

7. Optional benefits Savings on: –Insurance –Life and pension schemes –Hospital and medical plan –Telephone rates –Factoring –Internet services –Merchant credit card facility

8. The Federation of Small Businesses The Trade Union for Small Businesses is

9. Lifting the Barriers to Survival and Growth

10. Survey Responses  January 2002  Conducted by Strathclyde University  3036 questionnaires returned in the South West  15% response rate

11. Business Structure

12. Age of Business

13. Turnover

14. Business Ambitions

15. Trends in Sales Volume over last 12 mths

16. Change in number of employees over last 12 mths

17. Importance of factors on future Survival and Growth

18. Advice sought in last year

19. Sources of Business Advice

20. Business Advice

21. Business Advice - SI

22. Importance of factors on future Survival and Growth

23. Transport

24. Transport - SI

25. Education and Training

26. Importance of qualifications in employment decisions

27. Staff training in last year

28. Reasons for no staff training

29. Staff Training vs 2001 Sales volume

30. Local Services

31. Local Services - SI

32. Turnover (Source: DETR 1998) Rates as % of Turnover Rates as % of Overhead Rates as % of Profit -£50k7.7%13.7%35.9% £50k- £100k 5.510.331.8 £100k- £500k 2.55.217.2 £500k-£2 million 1.43.715.9 Over £1 bn 0.73.03.3 Rates vs turnover etc

33. Sources of Business Advice

34. LA – Advice sought

35. LA advice sought - SI

36. Govt funded business advice

37. Govt funded - SI

38. ICT hardware used

39. ICT used for -

41. Issues restricting ICT use

42. Understanding ICT

43. ICT used for -

44. Business skills

45. Access to markets

46. Financial Rewards - 2000

47. Financial Rewards - 2001

48. Importance of factors on future Survival and Growth

49. www.fsb.org/policy/lbg2002 swpu.policy@fsb.org.uk

50. Lifting the Barriers to Survival and Growth in UK Small Businesses