• Small business owners across Crawley have been praised by Henry Smith MP for the resilience they have shown during the pandemic and ongoing commitment to the local communities they serve.
• This year, Small Business Saturday is an opportunity to celebrate the small, independent businesses in Crawley – encouraging communities to shop local and support business owners.
• The Government is committed to making the United Kingdom the best place in the world to do business – especially for our small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Henry Smith MP has hailed the contribution of Crawley’s small businesses and the role they have played serving the local community during the Covid-19 pandemic, ahead of Small Business Saturday 2021 (4th December).

Henry said;

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, our high streets and an integral part of our recovery from the pandemic in Crawley.

“That’s why Small Business Saturday is the perfect opportunity to praise all our small business owners in Crawley and come together to support them in the lead up to Christmas.

“This Government is committed to providing the tools, skills and support that business owners need to make a full economic recovery and build back better from the pandemic, and this is the case I continue to make in Parliament.”

The Government has a long and proud record of supporting businesses here in the United Kingdom, and is now committed to helping these same businesses to build back better from the pandemic. Government-provided support includes:

• Protecting businesses and employees with over £407 billion of economic support throughout the pandemic including over £100 billion in business loans.
• Awarding over £600 million worth of Start Up Loans to provide funding to entrepreneurs and small businesses owners – supporting up to 10,000 more entrepreneurs across the UK.
• Introducing tax cuts and reforms, cutting business rates by at least 50 per cent for eligible businesses.
• Continuing Small Business Rates Relief, with over 700,000 eligible businesses benefitting from a tax cut worth £7 billion.
• Launching two Help to Grow schemes, aimed to particularly provide small business owners with world-class management training and digital skills.
• Supporting business owners to find the skilled staff they need through the multi-billion-pound Plan for Jobs.

This support, along with the Government’s commitment to level up towns and cities across the UK, is helping to transform town centres and high streets across the country – where small businesses can grow.

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwarteng, commented;

“We all know the impact that Covid-19 has had on our small businesses, and we have all been humbled by the resilience, resolve and determination they have shown in innovating and adapting to the challenges of the pandemic.

“Small Business Saturday 2021 is an opportunity to celebrate our small businesses and this Government will make sure the UK’s many businesses have the support and skills they need to drive the innovation, growth and job creation we need as we move towards a secure and prosperous future.”