Where to get help

When you need to check something, use an official source. Here are the best ones, grouped by what you need. Every one of these is free to use.

Free advice, first of all

• Business Gateway — Scotland’s free business help service. Advisers, workshops and templates. Start here.
• Find Business Support — a search tool for every public grant, loan and event in Scotland.
• mygov.scot — the Scottish Government’s business pages.

Setting up and registering

• GOV.UK — set up a business — sole trader, company or partnership.
• Register as a sole trader with HMRC.
• Companies House — register and run a limited company.

Tax and money

• HMRC — Self Assessment, VAT, PAYE and Corporation Tax.
• Scottish Income Tax rates — the current bands.
• Making Tax Digital — the digital records rules.

Licences, rules and safety

• GOV.UK licence finder — find the licences your trade needs (works for Scotland).
• Food Standards Scotland — starting a food business in Scotland.
• Your local council — licences, business rates and local grants.
• HSE — simple health and safety.
• ICO — data protection and the data protection fee.
• SEPA — Scotland’s environment and waste regulator.

Selling and consumer rules

• Business Companion — official Trading Standards guidance for businesses. Excellent and free.
• Scottish Courts — simple procedure — claiming money you are owed in Scotland.

Premises and rates

• Non-domestic rates on mygov.scot — how rates and reliefs work.
• Scottish Assessors — look up a property’s rateable value.

Employing people

• Employ someone: step by step — the GOV.UK guide.
• Disclosure Scotland — PVG and criminal record checks in Scotland.
• The Pensions Regulator — auto-enrolment duties.