Unlimited access* to experienced HR advisors. Available 24/7, 365 days a year.

The advice lines are here to help you… and not just if you have a serious problem or issue. They can help you with any questions that you may have, whether they be positive or negative. These are the kind of subjects the advisors can help with:

• Guidance on access to web documents
• Staff grievances and disputes
• Disciplinary issues
• Absenteeism
• Disability issues
• Medical capability
• Equal pay
• Maternity / paternity allowances
• Shared parental leave
• Contracts of employment
• TUPE issues
• Eligibility to work
• Managing apprentices
• Calculating settlement agreements
• Redundancy
• Calculating holiday pay / sick pay
• National living wage
• Working time regulations

*unlimited access is subject to a fair use policy.

Over 400 free downloadable employment documents.

One of the main features of the website is the comprehensive document library, which includes documents such as:

• Recruitment & Selection
• Induction & probation
• Contracts of Employment
• Employee Handbook
• Performance management
• Training & development
• Employee reward and benefits
• Grievance, medication & discipline
• Attendance management
• Exit management
• HR administration

Cover for employee disputes including representation costs and awards. Up to £100,000 per claim and £1,000,000 in the annual aggregate.

You need to manage your employment affairs – there may be consequences if you don’t and this is why you need HR support

Whilst the threat of financially crippling employment tribunals has diminished there are still many pitfalls facing employers and they can have serious financial consequences. All employers should be aware of these threats and if you need advice on how to avoid the unpalatable results please call the Advice Line and get practical advice from the HR advisors.

Unlimited access* to experienced health & safety specialist advisors, available during office hours.

The advice lines are here to help you… and not just if you have a serious problem or issue. They can help you with any questions that you may have, whether they be positive or negative. These are the kind of subjects the advisors can help with:

• Start-up requirements
• Protective equipment
• Training
• Gap analysis
• Compliance issues
• Completing risk assessments
• Health & safety policies & documents
• Fire safety
• Accident reporting
• First aid requirements
• Hazardous substances
• Employee safety handbook

*unlimited access is subject to a fair use policy.

Over 130 free downloadable health and safety documents.

One of the main features of the website is the comprehensive document library, which includes documents such as:

• Getting started in H&S
• Developing a H&S policy
• First aid and RIDDOR
• Risk assessments and audits
• Fire safety
• Manual handling and lifting
• Working at heights
• Workplace equipment and vehicles
• The working environment
• Vulnerable groups
• Food safety
• Physical and psychological hazards
• Construction and CDM regulations
• Chemical substance and biological hazards

Cover to help you defend health & safety prosecutions. Up to £100,000 per claim and £1,000,000 in the annual aggregate.

Unlimited access* to experienced legal advisors. Available 24/7, 365 days a year.

The advice lines are here to help you… and not just if you have a serious problem or issue. They can help you with any questions that you may have, whether they be positive or negative. These are the kind of subjects the advisors can help with:

• Legal disputes
• Contract disputes
• Commercial law
• Employment law
• Company law
• Directors disputes
• Data protection
• Tax and VAT issues
• Insolvency
• HMRC investigations
• Collecting debts
• Small claims court procedures
• Landlord or tenant issues

*unlimited access is subject to a fair use policy.

Over 175 free downloadable legal documents for a business.

One of the main features of the website is the comprehensive document library, which includes documents such as:

• Checklists & documents
• Company law
• Debt recovery
• Insurance
• Intellectual property
• Online trading
• Property
• Suppliers & contracts
• Business documents
• Business letters
• Company documents
• Company meeting documents
• Partnership documents
• Landlord & tenants

The Chamber Commercial Legal Expenses Insurance policy provides cover for a wide range of legal disputes that may affect members. The policy provides cover for the member’s business in matters including employment disputes, tax investigations and property disputes; and cover for the member’s employees in personal injury claims and motor disputes.

Areas of Cover

• Employment Disputes - Representation costs and awards of compensation incurred in defence of a dispute with an employee.
• Health & Safety Prosecutions - Costs in defending a health and safety criminal prosecution.
• Tax Protection - To deal with a HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) full enquiry.
• Criminal Prosecution Defence - To defend legal proceedings in a Court of criminal jurisdiction.
• Statutory License Protection - For an appeal or representation to the relevant authority.
• Jury Service Allowance - The cost of the insured’s salary or an employee’s salary for any period for which the insured or their employees are obliged to attend Court for jury service.
• Property Disputes - Any dispute or legal proceedings, including those relating to the physical possession of the property.
• Data Protection - To defend civil proceedings for compensation under Section 13 of the Data Protection Act 1998
• Personal Injury - Legal proceedings to recover damages for the death of or bodily injury sustained by a director or employee.
• Motor Disputes - The pursuit or defence of legal proceedings between an insured and a customer/supplier relating to the hire, purchase, lease, service, repair or test of a motor vehicle; or to recover damages for personal injury sustained by a director or employee in a road traffic accident.
• Wrongful Arrest Defence - To defend civil proceedings against the insured in relation to allegations of wrongful arrest or malicious prosecution.

Level of Cover

In the event of a claim, your case will be handled by Qdos Broker & Underwriting Services Ltd with the legal advice and representation being provided, in house, by Qdos Legal Services Ltd. You will be covered up to £100,000 (for any one claim) and £1,000,000 aggregate limit (all claims notified in any one period of insurance). Jury Service is subject to a maximum limit of £100 per day, £1,000 per claim.

There is Nil excess applicable to the policy.

Additional terms and conditions apply. A copy of the full policy wording and key facts document are available from the Chamber.

Unlimited access* to experienced tax and VAT advisors. Available during office hours.

The advice lines are here to help you… and not just if you have a serious problem or issue. They can help you with any questions that you may have, whether they be positive or negative. These are the kind of subjects the advisors can help with:

• Treatment of benefits in kind
• Corporation tax calculations
• Liabilities to capital gains tax
• Property income and expenses
• Residency status
• Remittance based on foreign income
• Stamp duty land tax liabilities
• Travel and subsistence costs
• Inheritance tax and estates
• HMRC enquiries / investigations
• Penalties
• VAT registration
• EU Reverse charge mechanism
• Place of supply rules
• Partial exemption
• VAT on land and property
• VAT rates on output services
• Recovery of foreign VAT

*unlimited access is subject to a fair use policy.

Cover to deal with a full HMRC enquiry, aspect enquiries, PAYE disputes and VAT disputes. Up to £100,000 per claim and £1,000,000 in the annual aggregate.

Do you pay technical staff to solve technical problems, perhaps developing new or improved processes, products or software?

If so, Sheffield Chamber can help you claim R&D tax credits from HMRC, which give tax savings for innovating. The savings are significant - usually equivalent to around a quarter of the amount you’ve actually spent.

Eligible companies can obtain tax relief on qualifying expenditure either by reducing taxable profits or creating (or increasing) tax losses which can be sacrificed to HMRC in return for a cash repayment.

The relief available is very generous and an SME incurring £100k of qualifying costs could save in the region of £25k in tax. Claims can go back two financial years, so first-time claimants can particularly benefit.

Projects qualifying for R&D relief include those seeking an appreciable improvement in science or technology.

So, if you are paying people to solve technical problems there may be scope to claim if you are:

• Modifying a manufacturing process
• Developing bespoke software
• Creating a new product or improving an existing one

If you think your company might be eligible to make a claim, Sheffield Chamber has partnered with Radius at Shorts Chartered Accountants.

The Radius team make the claims process simple. Their approach focusses on quickly and concisely assessing your potential eligibility before completing the process on your behalf. Radius employ an ex-HMRC Inspector to ensure that all claims are fully compliant before submission. This process is highly successful and has saved clients millions of pounds in tax savings across a wide spectrum of industries.

Shorts’ Radius team apply a simple three stage approach to prepare a robust claim that maximises the tax relief available:

1. Initial Discussion

30-60 minutes, either in person or over the phone to explore whether a claim is possible.

2. Technical Meeting

Radius will meet with you to identify qualifying projects and costs to include in the claim.

3. Produce Claim Documents

Radius will work with you to maximise the claim within the scope of the legislation. We produce the technical report and a summary of qualifying costs that is required to support a claim.

You review it and when you’re happy, we’ll submit the whole claim to HMRC for you.

You'll then receive your tax savings from HMRC - up to a quarter of the amount you've actually spent on innovating.

Experian business experts gives you everything you need to determine the credit worthiness of your customers, prospects and suppliers – helping you improve your cash flow and minimise the risk of bad debt.

How a business credit report can help

• Check and monitor any UK companies & directors
• Reduce exposure to potential bad debt
• Qualify prospects and suppliers and set realistic credit limits
• Take action when faced with payment delays
• Check to see if your customers and suppliers have CCJs
• View detailed financial payment trends
• In-depth credit history
• View bankruptcy filings
• And much more

Through Chamber membership receive an exclusive discounted rate on all credit check reports - up to 50% off.

In addition, Experian are offering 10 x free credit check reports to any Sheffield Chamber members. This can enable you to check and monitor any UK companies and reduce exposure to potential bad debt.

Chamber Invest is service for businesses looking to scale and access a range of investment solutions to help them achieve their growth ambitions. Often it’s lack of funding that holds companies back, and the wrap-around support that can go with it.

Chamber Invest seeks to engage with local companies and help with the challenges of scaling by providing access to investment, business support and legal services.

Who is it for?

• Businesses looking to scale
• Businesses at pre-investment stage, wanting to plan for growth
• Businesses needing to become investor ready
• Businesses needing seed or growth investment
• Businesses looking to fund innovation
• Businesses looking for mentoring and Non-Exec support

The service provides access to angel investment through a 380-strong angel network and a number of co-investment partners. Companies are typically pitching for between £50k-£500k although larger amounts are available in conjunction with the co-investment partners. However, this is more than just investment. It’s about finding the right investor/mentor to help and support the business through its journey.

How is it delivered?

• Initial discussion to understand what the business needs
• A proposal as to the best way forward
• Prepare to pitch
• Go live on angel investment platform
• Business pitches to angel investors – these are held monthly
• A range of wrap-around support

Sheffield Chamber will also be running a number of free investor ready workshops, looking at the process and requirements of angel investment.

Sheffield Chamber have teamed up with BTG Advisory to offer a dedicated service to assist Chamber members with obtaining the right finance for their business

BTG Advisory are an independent voice and can help your businesses raise funds for a variety of purposes, such as working capital, expansion and capital equipment

This service is designed especially for Chamber Members to review their current financial situation, examine their future needs and assist them in obtaining the right finance for their business.

There are a variety of reasons why businesses look to raise finance. The funding may be required for businesses looking to grow, seeking to refinance, or requiring cash flow support. BTG Advisory are an independent voice and can assist businesses in the Sheffield City Region to raise funds for a variety of purposes, such as working capital, expansion and capital equipment.

The team has the banking and financial expertise to understand appropriate products and structures to support each situation. This expertise can also be utilised to provide additional support and guidance through the lending process. This includes, if required, forecasting, preparation of management accounts and access to a full range of professional support.

How It Works

• Initial free of charge meeting and assessment by our experienced team, who are extremely well connected across lenders and sector specialisms
• Product, structure and funders will be identified at this stage, with any work commencing subject to formal engagement
• Fee arrangement agreed
• Appropriate introduction and support through lending process

Invoice factoring and discounting offer an alternative to traditional bank lending. This may be a good option if you have a steady customer base, the majority of whom pay on time and in full. Although very similar in nature, the two types of invoice finance have one main difference that may make one more suitable for your business than the other.

By definition, invoice finance based on the total value of your sales ledger is a less risky form of finance than bank lending, which potentially involves providing a personal guarantee.

Invoice factoring for business: The main premise behind this type of funding is the introduction of a cash lump sum on a regular basis throughout the month, offering a dependable inflow of cash that stabilises business finances without great risk to the owner/directors. How much a factoring company is willing to lend will depend on the value of your sales ledger, and how reliable your debtors are in making payments.

Invoice discounting: This differs slightly from factoring in that control of the sales ledger remains in your hands - you continue to collect in customer payments and chase outstanding amounts. In this way, confidentiality is maintained as customers will be unaware that an invoice finance facility is in place, which as we said earlier, is important for some businesses. The system works largely in the same way as factoring – a percentage of each invoice is provided by the lender when the invoice is issued.

Which types of business might benefit from invoice funding?

The make-up of each individual company dictates whether invoice factoring or discounting is the most appropriate invoice finance choice, but the general theme that runs through this type of lending is its flexible nature and low risk for both lender and borrower.

Industries that could benefit from invoice factoring and discounting in general, include manufacturing, engineering, transport, and construction, although the advantages for any business with a relatively stable sales ledger are clear to see.

We have connections with a wide range of invoice finance lenders across the UK, and can put you in touch with the most appropriate for your business. So for those that have been refused commercial refused finance, call today to discuss your financial needs.

We can help you to buy the assets you need or release cash from assets you own – such as vehicles, plant and machinery – helping you keep more cash for your day-to-day business needs.

What is asset finance?

As the name suggests, asset finance is a funding option which sees the loans being secured against an asset owned by the borrower. As this is a type of secured borrowing, the interest rates and terms offered are often more competitive than those offered on unsecured loans. This is because in the event of the borrower defaulting on the repayments, the lender can seize the asset and use the proceeds generated from the sale to repay the outstanding amount.

Asset financing can be a great way for a company to obtain new equipment and machinery in an affordable way. Paying for a substantial asset up front can cause problems when it comes to their cash flow, while for other companies, paying outright is simply not possible. Asset finance allows you to spread the cost while also giving you full use of the item while you are paying for it.

Which types of businesses may benefit from asset finance?

As asset finance comes in many forms and can be used on items which are already owned and those which are to be purchased, this type of funding is suitable for almost any business regardless of their size. As with any lend, it will be dependant on affordability.

Asset finance gives your business access to the resources it needs to grow, while also offering a useful way of releasing the money you have already invested in machinery, vehicles, and other valuable goods.

Asset finance includes a huge variety of different providers and products, and the choice can sometimes be bewildering; you should therefore make it a priority to seek expert advice before going ahead. You need to ensure that you know exactly what you are signing up for and to be confident that this meets your needs both now, and in the future. The last thing you want to do is to take out asset finance only to find you no longer use the items, and in hindsight you would have been better opting for something with a shorter term or with the option to upgrade.

We have fostered close relationships with a wide range of asset finance providers, and we know exactly who to put you in touch with to secure the most appropriate funding option for you and your business.

Trade finance is a niche area of commercial funding aimed at importers, exporters and domestic traders.

Trade finance allows you to purchase goods and assists with cash flow. It pays your suppliers without you having to wait for payment from your customers.

Interest will be charged on the amount borrowed. Interest rates vary, and the one offered to you will depend on your individual circumstances; the greater the perceived risk of you defaulting on the loan, the higher the interest rate levied will be.

Whether you are looking to upgrade your current premises, open up in a new location, or release some capital from a property you already own, having access to a commercial mortgage could be integral to the growth of your company.

Essentially, a commercial mortgage is a loan secured on a property which is not your primary residential address. A commercial mortgage can be taken out on various types of property, including office buildings, industrial warehouses, or retail premises. Property is often a company’s biggest asset and can, therefore, be an ideal source of funding.

The premise of a commercial mortgage is the same as for a residential property, although interest rates are typically slightly higher. As well as interest on the loan, there will be further costs such as valuation fees, mortgage product fees, and also legal costs.

Commercial mortgages are offered by well-known high street lenders as well as those who specialise solely in commercial property loans, so it’s worth shopping around to ensure you get the best deal for you and your business.

Commercial mortgages come in a variety of types, depending on how the property being purchased will be used. The three main types are as follows:

Owner-occupied: These mortgages can be taken out if the property being purchased is to be used by the company buying it. This may be new premises the company will relocate to, or the company may be purchasing the premises it currently operates from.

Residential buy-to-let: This is for a property which is being purchased by a professional landlord or a buy-to-let limited company in order to be rented out to a residential tenant.

Commercial buy-to-let: If a property is being purchased to be let out to another business, then a commercial buy-to-let mortgage will be needed. While the premise of the loan is similar to a residential buy-to-let, finding tenants for commercial property is seen as more difficult and, therefore, the lender may see this as a greater risk, making obtaining a loan more difficult. You may be required to put down a large deposit and demonstrate that you will be able to maintain the monthly mortgage payments should your property not be tenanted at any point. If you already have a long-standing tenant in place, you find it significantly easier to obtain such a loan.

A bridging loan is a short-term funding option aimed at those who own land or property. As the name suggests, bridging loans are designed to ‘bridge’ the gap between your current circumstances and other funds becoming available, such as payment from a customer, or a more long-term loan agreement elsewhere.

A bridging loan is only suitable as a short-term funding option. Prior to taking a bridging loan you need to be sure that you have a guaranteed sum of money in the pipeline which can clear the loan in full. If you are in any doubt about your ability to do this, you should consider an alternative source of funding.

The loan can be taken on either an ‘open’ or ‘closed’ basis – this refers to the period of time the loan is set to run for. If the borrower has a set repayment date in place, then the loan will be taken on a closed basis. Closed bridging loans usually run for a couple of months, or even weeks in some cases. An open bridging loan is for borrowers who cannot commit to an exact repayment date.

Bridging loans are a secured form of borrowing, so you will need to have a high-value asset, typically land or property, in order to obtain this type of lending. The amount you can borrow will be determined by the value of the asset the loan is secured against. You will have to pay interest on the amount borrowed, and there will also be additional fees and charges imposed by the lender.

There are different types of bridging loans available, so you should ensure you choose one that best meets your requirements. Some require monthly payments to cover the interest – others do not ask for monthly payments, but instead the entire sum you borrowed, plus the interest and fees, to be repaid in one lump sum.

Development finance is aimed at property developers and landowners looking to obtain funding for new build properties or the redevelopment of an existing property, such as conversions and structural renovation projects.

This type of development is completed on a commercial basis and the completed property is generally not for owner occupation. Loans can be obtained for both the purchase of the land, and also for the cost of the build or renovation work itself.

Funding is typically provided on a drawdown basis, with additional monies released following completion of each stage of the building process. Valuations may need to be done prior to each drawdown to check on the progress of the build and to ensure the lender has adequate security for the loan.

Development finance is designed to be a short-term lending option while the build is being completed. The funds will be drawn down in stages as the phases of the development complete. And the lenders may require each stage to be remortgaged, or wait until the whole development is complete and sold, or it can be transferred to a different, long term, mortgage product.

An Introduction to Business Loans

When it comes to securing a business loan, your options are seemingly endless. Not only are there a wide variety of products out there, there are also a huge range of lenders offering these loans, from well-known high street banks, through to specialist independent lenders. However, the good news is that regardless of the size or financial position of your business, chances are there is a loan out there which meets your needs.

Your first step is to decide exactly what it is you are looking for. What may be suitable for a well-established company needing a large amount of money to fund an ambitious growth project, will be completely different to that required by a start-up looking for finance to purchase stock.

With that in mind, you should know how much money you will be looking to borrow, how much you can afford to repay on a monthly basis, and how long you will need the loan to run for. Once you are clear on these factors, you can start narrowing down the field.

The Different Types of Loans

• Secured loans – With a secured loan you put up collateral to underpin the borrowing. Essentially this means that should you default on your repayments; the lender can seize the asset you have put up as security, and use the proceeds of this to cover the balance of the loan. As the lender has this security, you may find it easier to obtain a loan and it is often the case that the interest rate offered is more competitive than you would be able to obtain on an unsecured loan where the risk to the lender is substantially greater. 
• Unsecured loans – With an unsecured loan, you borrow money and sign a contract promising to pay this back through a series of monthly instalments. Should you default on the loan, the lender is not able to sequester your property or assets as recompense for the missed payments. This adds a considerable element of risk to the lender. As already mentioned, the lender often chooses to level a higher rate of interest on the loaned amount as a result.
  Should the lender have genuine concerns that you may struggle to repay the money you have lent, perhaps due to previous bad credit or because your business is a new venture, they could ask you to sign a personal guarantee (PG) to reduce the risk on their side. See the section on PGs below for more information. 
• Short-term loans – It may be the case that you need to borrow money only for the short-term. it could be that you know you will be coming into an amount of money in the near future with which you will be able to pay off the loan, or perhaps you only need to obtain a relatively small amount of funding which you will easily be able to clear in a couple of years. If this is the case there are specialised loans out there designed exactly for this purpose. A short-term loan is usually defined as borrowing with a term of less than two years. 

Personal Guarantees (PGs)

When lending money, banks and other financial establishments, like to know that their money is safe and will therefore take all the precautions they can to ensure they will not be left out of pocket when lending money. This is why banks prefer secured loans, which give them a tangible asset that they can take control of and sell in the event of non-payment.

However, not every company has unencumbered property or assets that they can put up as collateral. In these instances a lender may ask you to sign what is known as a personal guarantee. In its simplest form, a PG is an agreement which states that should your business fail or be unable to repay the money it has borrowed, you as an individual will then be responsible for paying back this money from your own personal finances.

In the event of a limited company entering into insolvency proceedings, any debt owned by the company will be written off as part of the liquidation. However, if a personal guarantee has been signed for any of the debt, this limited liability does not apply and the loan still needs to be repaid.

Giving a personal guarantee is a huge step to take and you should consider the implications of this thoroughly before signing one. PGs can have disastrous consequences on your own personal financial situation should your business encounter difficulties; you should seek expert advice and guidance before committing.

Consider Your Lender

It may be the case that you are so focused on securing a loan that you don’t give much thought to the lender itself. After all, the money is the same no matter who lends it to you, right? While this may be true, taking the time to ensure you are approaching the right lender could save you considerable time and effort in the long-run.

Your first port of call may be a high street bank. A loan from a mainstream bank is typically the cheapest option due to the relatively low rates of interest they charge, however, depending on your business and its current financial situation you may find it difficult to be accepted. The application process is rigorous, and you should expect to be able to demonstrate solid financials backed up with a strong business plan for the future plus a lengthy and successful trading history. Obviously this is not going to be possible for every business, particularly those which are newly established. Luckily there are alternative providers out there.

Challenger banks are typically more lenient with their lending criteria, although the application process is still tough and the interest rates on offer may be higher than from high street lenders. Another option is to consider a specialist lender who may be able to accommodate your needs better. Depending on the industry you operate in, you may be able to find a lender who specialises in finance options to your sector. These providers will understand the challenges businesses in your industry face and will usually be more sympathetic when analysing your financials. The application process is much swifter with many specialist lenders now in the position to approve your loan and transfer the money within a matter of days.

Next Steps

With the array of loans on the market it is prudent to obtain expert advice before going ahead. BTG has many years of experience when it comes to commercial borrowing, and can help you understand your options and ensure you are making the right decision for you and your business.

As you are probably aware, employers are bound under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (Reg 7) to have an adequate number of 'competent persons', who will assist the employer to comply with obligations under all H&S legislation.

This regulation also requires the employer to make arrangements between competent persons to ensure adequate co-operation between them, to provide the facilities they need to carry out their functions, and specified health and safety information.

In the event that you do not have a competent person then we are able to provide you with a Health and Safety Advisor.

Over a minimum of a 12 month period Sheffield Chamber can provide:

• Named competent person
• Health and Safety Advisor Certificate
• Update existing health and safety policy
• E-mail facility for H&S questions
• Telephone helpline
• Two health and safety audits with a full report prepared on each occasion in the 12 month contract period
• Access to additional free chamber health and safety services and documents
• Assistance with sourcing training courses highlighted by the recommendations from the HSAS audit
• Discounted rates on all training from Sheffield Chamber for HSAS contract holders
• Emergency assistance to include onsite visit/s is required (limitations apply)

The new fire safety legislation “The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005” came into force on 1st October 2006. The purpose of the legislation is to rationalise the existing regulations to provide a fully risk-based approach to how organisations discharge their responsibilities for fire safety. The main change as far as the majority of organisations are concerned is that a Fire Certificate is no longer required. The system will now be risk based and be the responsibility of the nominated “responsible person”.

Sheffield Chamber has the competency within its commercial health and safety advisory service to give your company peace of mind that you are covering all aspects of the legislation.

The Members Directory is an easy-to-navigate database for Chamber members to identify fellow members for collaborative business opportunities. It features the ability to privately message other businesses you wish to connect and do business with. You can also see what upcoming events other fellow members are attending, in case you would like to organise a face-to-face meeting.

Each member of Sheffield Chamber has its own dedicated profile. Here you can upload your company logo, contact details and business description, including products and services. This acts as a great tool to showcase who you are and what you do to the other businesses within membership.

With all levels of membership comes access to a suite of bespoke services. Via the Member Hub you can see what services are available to you, and most importantly, how to access them.

Whether you need the number for our dedicated HR advice line or a discount code for AA breakdown, all information can be accessed via the hub.

Each member of the Chamber has its own dedicated profile, containing information bespoke to them and their level of membership. You can login to the hub to see what level of membership you are on and the services available to you, how long until your renewal date and who your dedicated Account Manager is (you can even message them directly).

You also have the ability to tailor your bespoke information feed to your personal interests and requirements. Not interested in attending black tie dinners or news about manufacturing? Not a problem, you can customise your content to only show through the information you want to receive. This also goes for your email preferences; via the hub you have the ability to choose what information you would like to receive.

Principle users also have the ability to add more users to your account (who can also set up their own tailored content). For example, this is perfect if you have a dedicated member of staff who manages your business news or a member of staff who attends events. Via the hub, you can set up an additional accounts for staff members who manage different areas of your business.

As a membership organisation representing and working with 1,000 businesses, we have an extremely active website, regularly visited by thousands of business people in and outside the region on a monthly basis.

Subject to your membership level, you can upload your own event, news, offer or opportunity to the Sheffield Chamber website and utilise our digital reach for your own gain. This can all be done online, via the Member Hub.

One of our most popular benefits of membership is access to discounted training and events. When you are logged into the Member Hub, those discounts are automatically applied to the level of membership you are signed into. Simply login and purchase your ticket.

The Member Hub will record your future (and past) bookings and give you the ability to add them to your calendar.

Our sector specific forums are a voice for and of the members and assist in lobbying activity. By joining your will gain the opportunity to debate issues of interest and collaborate with other relevant organisations. Request to join one of our forums via the Member Hub.

Receive weekly membership, events, training and business e-newsletters to keep you informed of business activity in the region.

Click Here to Subscribe

You are able to set your preferences to only receive the information of interest to you.

Our events programme is designed to service the needs of members, from networking or entertaining clients through to updates on current affairs and matters affecting businesses. As a member you will gain preferential rates and access to our entire events programme.

With a calendar of over 50 events across Sheffield every year, the Chamber offer cutting-edge topics, insightful commentary from leading speakers in a variety of enjoyable networking formats. Joining the Chamber will help you to grow your network and make new contacts.

Our events programme will enable you to connect with other businesses from across Sheffield, through a variety of different means, including:

• Events and Networking
• Sector Forums
• Conference and Exhibitions
• Informative Seminars
• Exclusive high-level networking opportunities
• Awards and Dinners

Check Out Our Latest Events

Connect with Chamber members by hosting your own event in partnership with Sheffield Chamber.

Whether it is to launch a new product, workspace or solely to network with fellow members, partnering with Sheffield Chamber to increase attendance at your event could be the solution you are looking for.

Sheffield Chamber offer a variety of sponsorship opportunities ranging from small networking conferences, to our large scale corporate events such as Showcase Sheffield and Sheffield Business Awards.

Subject to your business objectives, our events team can discuss and tailor event sponsorship to suit your business needs.

Why Sponsor an Event?

• Increase brand awareness and raise your business profile within the City Region business community
• Opportunity to network, seek new clients and generate new sales from new business partnerships
• Affiliation with a high profile, established, national brand
• Media exposure
• An opportunity to be involved and support the local business community

The leading awards ceremony for Sheffield businesses.

With over 850 guests in attendance and over 150 applications across 16 categories, the event provides an opportunity for businesses to promote their achievements during the year, raise their profile and ultimately gain the recognition they deserve.

sheffieldbusinessawards.org.uk

The leading business conference and exhibition in the region. In 2019, the event saw 140 businesses exhibit and over 800 delegates in attendance.

The event offers a platform for businesses to hear from a high calibre line-up of professional businesses, network with like-minded business individuals and to showcase your products and services to potential buyers and suppliers.

expo.scci.org.uk

The Sheffield Chamber Member logo is recognised not just across our region, but the entire country as being synonymous with integrity, professionalism and best practice.

Membership allows you to use this logo on everything from your website to your letterhead.

The Members Directory is an easy-to-navigate database for Chamber members to identify fellow members for collaborative business opportunities. It is located in the Member Hub section of the website, which is only accessible by other fellow members, and features the ability to privately message other businesses you wish to connect and do business with.

Each member of Sheffield Chamber has its own dedicated profile. Here you can upload your company logo, contact details and business description including products and services. This acts as a great tool to showcase who you are and what you do to the other businesses within membership.

A listing of your company will be included in the City Region Business Directory. This is sent to every member on an annual basis.

Members may also request a copy of our membership database which includes a primary contact name, telephone number, company description and address.

This database is invaluable if you are a business looking to expand your profile in the city.

Find new business leads quickly and simply with B2B Prospector. Powered by Experian’s National Business Database, you can build and download targeted business data lists immediately, tailored to your needs and budget.

B2B Prospector will show you who your best business prospects are and help you optimise your marketing spend with a range of bespoke services. Don’t worry if you can’t see exactly what you’re looking for, Experian’s dedicated sales team are on hand and will be happy to help.

B2B Data Lists

• Safe-to-contact
• Filter to find the right leads
• Easily suppress previous orders

Data Validator

• Check the marketing data you have licensed from Experian is still valid to use

Data Enhancement

• Free match and data analysis report
• Enhance your data with variables from the National Business Database
• Check that your data is compliant by identifying telephone numbers on TPS (Telephone Preference Service)
• Free insight into your data and where you should focus your effort

Sheffield Chamber members can receive 30% off UK marketing data lists, with no minimum spend.

According to Forbes (2018) viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video compared to 10% when reading it in a text.

What does this mean?

It means if you want to showcase who you are, sell a product or build a strong brand recognition – video is the best way to do it online.

Video helps you rank higher in search, boosts online traffic to your site and increases displays in social feeds. But most importantly, video is your audiences’ medium of choice – 72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service by way of video (HubSpot 2019).

Hallam FM have experience in a vast range of video types, including:

• Brand/corporate – communicate your core values to generate trust
• Animation – convey intricate services simply
• Tutorial – showcase your product in action
• Social – dedicated video for social sharing
• Testimonial – share your success and strong relationships
• Product – help with the decision-making process
• 3D scans – immersive walking tours of your facilities

Sheffield Chamber have teamed up with Hallam FM and Bauer Create to offer an exclusive video production service for Chamber members.

From SME’s to larger brands, Hallam FM have the skills, equipment and passion to showcase your business in an engaging way for your clients. They will work with you to create, develop and deliver your video strategies.

Exclusive and discounted rates are available for Sheffield Chamber members, starting from just £1,000+VAT*

Check out what they can do:

*all rates are subject to your video requirements.

Chamber Connect is published four times a year and provides a quality connection between the Sheffield City Region Chambers of Commerce, its members and other key business organisations.

The publication focuses on news and information about local companies and the initiatives and advice available from the Chambers to increase the prosperity of firms across the Sheffield City Region.

Members of Sheffield Chamber receive a free copy of each publication and this will be delivered to your business.

Chamber Connect has an estimated broad-spectrum readership of 20,000 key decision makers from local business and has a circulation of approximately 5,000 that includes key strategic locations across the Sheffield City Region.

Advertising opportunities are available in Sheffield Chambers dedicated business magazine, Chamber Connect.

Benefits of advertising in Chamber Connect:

• Chamber Connect is the official publication of the Sheffield City Region Chambers of Commerce
• Chamber Connect is one of the leading business publications in the Sheffield City Region
• Chamber Connect has a circulation of approximately 5,000 and is mailed out to named company heads across the Sheffield City Region
• Chamber Connect’s targeted circulation ensures that the key decision makers see your message

Chamber Connect is an invaluable way of staying connected with the Sheffield City Region Chambers and promoting your business to others in the Sheffield City Region and further afield.

Click here to read the latest edition

In an ideal world, we’d all be ‘well beings’. Unfortunately, the pressures of work and life mean we’re not always able to achieve this. In the real world, it’s often difficult to determine who is a well being and who isn’t. Someone may look like they’re coping really well, but the reality could be far different.

That’s why Westfield Health have extended their offering from health cash plans and surgery choices to provide a more holistic approach, taking care of employees in both body and mind.

Exclusively available to BCC accredited and affiliated member organisations of all sizes, the Chamber Primary Health Plan starts from just £6.13 per employee, per month and allows staff to claim money back, up to set limits, for things like sight tests and glasses, dental bills, therapy treatments and consultations. The plan also provides access to health and wellbeing services including:

• DoctorLine™ service providing policyholders with confidential telephone access to a practising UK GP, 24 hours a day – every day, from anywhere in the world, with optional webcam consultations
• Best Doctors® – expert second medical opinion service
• Scanning Service – MRI, CT and PET scans
• 24hr Advice and Information Line and up to 6 face to face counselling sessions (including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – CBT)

You can view the full benefit table and pricing here.

Surgery Choices makes private surgery and medical treatment more affordable and accessible so staff can be treated quicker and back in the workplace sooner. Employees will have access to prompt private medical treatment for a whole range of conditions (excluding heart and cancer). With immediate cover for new conditions and fast access to fixed price private treatment packages, cover starts from just £5.83 per employee, per month. There’s one price for all (prices aren’t age related) and premiums won’t increase with claims.

Choose between two ready-made annual wellbeing engagement programmes depending on whether you prefer an online or an offline solution. Both provide targeted promotions to engage your staff in improving their health and wellbeing. Your Chamber membership gives you access to a 25% discount on the standard pricing for the Health Calendar or The Wellbeing Plan online resource centre and prices start from just £412.50 + VAT for businesses with up to 10 employees.

Health Calendar

• With 24 topics to choose from, you choose the 12 topics that best meet the needs of your organisation for your annual health calendar
• Each month you’ll receive a communication pack which includes campaign announcement text and weekly promotional top-tip messages to keep the campaign alive – all you have to do is send out the communications
• Your monthly communication pack will include three fact sheets, a poster and a support leaflet signposting your people to national support agencies associated with the topic

The Wellbeing Plan Online Resource Centre

• Select your programme from the 16 topics available. Each has a video, podcast, factsheets and personal training plan
• Each month we’ll send you text to announce the topic of the month, along with weekly top-tip messages to keep the campaign alive and drive engagement with the website
• You’ll have access to a real-time dashboard providing engagement statistics
• You can use the website as a resource to support the delivery of your other
• health and wellbeing initiatives throughout the year
• Employees have unlimited access to the website, accessible from work or home

• Health and lifestyle screening days
• Wellbeing Workshops
• Dial up seminars (webinars)
• Lifestyle coaching days
• Mental Health First Aid Training Courses….and more.

Members can benefit from a free, no-obligation discount fuel card from our exclusive fuel card partner, The Fuelcard People.

The Fuelcard People offer an unbeatable range of fuel cards, with commercial rate fuel cards valid at 7000+ pumps across the UK, including BP, Shell, Esso, Texaco, Tesco, Morrisons, The Co-operative, Gulf, Pace, Emo, Murco and Moto forecourts, as well as the Diesel Direct (Keyfuels) and UK Fuels networks.

With a fuel card from The Fuelcard People, you pay the same fixed weekly price wherever you fill up, meaning savings of up to 5p per litre, and up to 10p per litre savings at motorway pumps. Also, you can enjoy up to a fortnight’s interest-free credit, and reduced administration time as your fuel purchase paperwork is replaced by a single weekly invoice.

The Fuelcard People will help you find the best fuel card for your needs rather than push you towards a pre-decided product. If you ever need to talk to them, you can call your dedicated account manager directly rather than an anonymous call centre, and you can also access your account details online 24/7, including recent transactions.

The Fuelcard People will help you find the best fuel card for your needs rather than push you towards a pre-decided product. If you ever need to talk to them, you can call your dedicated account manager directly rather than an anonymous call centre, and you can also access your account details online 24/7, including recent transactions.

Vine Hotels is offering exclusive hotel rates for Sheffield Chamber members at Kenwood Hall Hotel & Spa, Mosborough Hall, DoubleTree by Hilton Sheffield Park Hotel and Best Western Cutlers Hotel.

Vine Hotels manages seven uniquely individual hotels and venues in the UK, with five located in Sheffield. Each is distinctly different, yet all focussed on delivering a high standard of guest experience. From a 12th century country manor house in Yorkshire and a 500-year-old Grade II listed hotel in Southampton, to modern city centre venues in both Sheffield and Manchester, Vine Hotels presents a collection that blends individual personality with genuine hospitality.

The Hotel is situated right in the heart of Sheffield city centre, just 15 yards from the world-famous Crucible theatre, home to the World Snooker championships. It offers 45 bedrooms including single and double and is the perfect combination of city centre urban contemporary design with real value for money. It serves a freshly prepare breakfast on a daily basis. The 1857 Bar has a relaxed stylish ambience and is the perfect place to enjoy an early evening drink or a lunchtime meet up.

Doubletree by Hilton Sheffield Park is located in a quiet, leafy suburb of Sheffield, just five miles from the Peak District and within easy reach of Sheffield, Chesterfield and all six local junctions of the M1. The hotel offers 131 air-conditioned bedrooms including 36 beautiful new deluxe bedrooms that include king-sized Sweet Dreams® by DoubleTree bed. Included within the new suite of rooms are three King Deluxe Accessible Guestroom with wet room. They all have the option of a connecting Deluxe Twin Room which is perfect for anyone travelling with a carer. They are fully equipped with walk in wet rooms, pull down wardrobe rails, emergency assistance cords and vibrating pillows. The Hotel has capacity of up to 500 delegates for meetings and events as well as 10 meeting rooms and eight break-out rooms. Free Wi Fi, Piano Bar & Restaurant, leisure club with pool, spa and free parking.

Kenwood Hall Hotel & Spa is a luxury hotel, venue and spa in Sheffield. The Hotel has the advantage of being set in 12 acres of attractive parkland yet is only one mile from Sheffield city centre. The Hotel offers a variety of 114 guest bedrooms ranging from standard through to suites. It gives free Wi Fi and a choice of leisure facilities, including a gym, spa and swimming pool. It is easily located via the M1 junction 31 and six miles from Sheffield train station and 40 miles from Doncaster Sheffield Airport. 12 meeting rooms with capacity for 2-150 delegates are offered, alongside the Lakeview Restaurant and a bar.

Originally a 12th century manor house, Mosborough Hall offers the perfect blend of charm, tradition and sophistication. Set in the picturesque village of Mosborough it offers the perfect spot for an overnight stay or longer break. It has easy access via M1, junction 30 and Sheffield railway station is six miles away and Doncaster Sheffield airport is 40 miles away. It has 46 bedrooms and suites, and Darcy’s Brasserie and Bar are the perfect location to eat and drink. It has six meeting rooms that can hold from 2-220 delegates. It offers free parking and free Wi Fi.

Sheffield Chamber members can obtain up to 67% off business breakdown cover.

Our members are saving an average of £583.54 by utilising this service!

Cover includes: 

• Roadside Assistance covers breakdowns within ¼ mile of home. If the problem is not immediately reparable, the AA will escort the driver and vehicle home or to the garage.
• Relay takes the vehicle, driver and up to 7 passengers to any UK mainland destination where roadside repair is not possible.
• Relay Plus extends arrangements of the relay service either through 48hr car hire (subject to hire company’s T&C), 1 night accommodation near breakdown or reimbursement of reasonable transport costs to complete journey (up to a given limit).
• Home start covers breakdowns within ¼ mile of home.
• Accident Management coordinates insurance claims, arranges repair and can help the uninsured with loss recovery after accidents, acts of vandalism or thefts.

Prices are per vehicle per year, inclusive of tax. Specialist vehicles (eg taxis, ambulances, and minibuses), privately owned vehicles, motorcycles, couriers and vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes are not eligible.

This service is a simple solution for all vehicle needs and will save both time and money for your business. This service is not offered by any other business group.

Sheffield Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with Professional Energy Purchasing Ltd, an award-winning business to offer our Chamber Energy Services.

Professional Energy Purchasing Ltd is a local independent Energy Procurement Specialist with over 30 years’ experience in the Energy market. Alongside a successful energy procurement service for members, the team have successfully recouped over £100,000 in refunds for customers that have overpaid CCL (climate change levy) tax on their energy contracts.

Energy prices are constantly changing, which is why the team carefully identify / quantify potential areas of savings with an energy audit across the business.

The Professional Energy Purchasing team promises to advise all customers when and how to purchase energy to gain the right price at the right time.

This service will:

• Ensure you are purchasing your utilities at the best possible prices.
• Carry out a survey to identify/quantify potential areas of savings across the business.
• Project manage the implementation of the identified recommendations as a result of the above survey if required.

By working in conjunction with Sheffield Chamber Of Commerce we can offer you a competitive tailored energy service.

*Charges may apply for certain services after the initial consultation, these will be agreed in advance if applicable.

Climate change levy is set to increase considerably in April 2019 by 45% on electricity & 67% on gas (based on 2018 levels) with the abolishment of the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC). SME businesses will have to absorb these increases unless they qualify for CCL exemptions. We can advise you on CCL relief & Energy efficiency to mitigate the impact of these increase.

A new fund entitled the ‘Green Business Fund’ which will provide financial support to help smaller businesses reduce their energy use has been launched. The fund is being made available to small and medium sized firms in England, Scotland and Wales on a first-come, first-served basis. Eligible companies can apply for funding covering up to 15% of a project, up to a maximum of £10,000.

Fitness Unlimited’s award winning membership provides unlimited access to a wide range of facilities at 7 venues across Sheffield including:

• 7 gyms kitted out with top of the range CV, resistance, free weights and functional training equipment
• 6 unique swimming pools offering lane swimming, general swim, leisure swimming sessions and aqua based fitness classes
• Over 500 fitness classes to choose from each week
• Indoor athletics track used by Olympic athletes
• Health suites including saunas, spas & relaxation areas

Fitness Unlimited is far more than just a gym, it is part of SIV and with a Fitness Unlimited membership you will also enjoy:

• 25% off leisure activities including golf, court hire, ice skating and Altitude High Ropes Adventure at iceSheffield
• 15% off food and drink at all foodetc. cafes in venues

And if that’s not enough for you to hit the ground running, or swimming, or spinning…Chamber of Commerce members receive Fitness Unlimited Corporate discount too! You can choose from two membership options:

• Corporate Tier 2 Access all sites 12-month Direct Debit Membership – £30.40 per month
• Corporate Tier 2 Access all sites 12-month Annual Payment – £330.00 (further 10% discount)

All members automatically get the benefit of the Sheffield LifeCard attached to their account. Sheffield lifeCARD gives significant savings on sport and leisure activities across SIV venues as well as access to some fantastic offers with business partners.

Q-Park is one of Europe’s leading parking service providers. Dedicated to better parking, Q-Park stands for Quality in parking and is known for high quality, secure, clean, and well-managed parking facilities.

Having a regular place to park each day makes your commute easier, and with Q-Park the start to your day can be hassle-free.

Not only do members get discounted parking, but Unlimited Season Ticket holders also get access to high street retail offers via the Q-Park Advantage Club, a portal of local and national discounts in retail, leisure, restaurants and more.

Book your exclusive discounted parking now via our dedicated link, located in the website member hub.

Participating car parks include Charles Street, Rockingham, Sheffield Station and Castlegate. Terms and conditions apply.

The extensive choice of business training and development offered by us is recognised by a range of accredited awarding bodies. Our aim is to assist you with your workforce development needs and increase the productivity of your employees.

The courses offered by the Chamber are split into several categories, including:

• Management 
• Business Development
• Health and Safety
• First Aid
• Human Resources
• Information Technology
• Engineering and Manufacturing
• Data and Digital
• International Trade
• Finance and Accounting
• Procurment
• Environmental and Quality
• Social Media and Marketing

Training your workforce is vital for sustainability, development and improvement. These courses will help your business to remain competitive in the future.

Click Here to see our training courses

Sheffield Chamber members can obtain up to 20% discount on Chamber training courses.

Please log into the member hub to access your discounted prices. 

We deliver in house packages that we can tailor to any of your specific training needs and requirements.

• Scheduled to suit you
• Focused, consistent and relevant to your business needs
• Reduce travel and accommodation expenses
• Tailored to exactly what your delegates need to know

Click Here for more information

Contact your Sheffield Chamber Account Manager for more information or call 0114 201 8888. 

Your Account Manager will be your main point of contact and direct support for all of your Chamber needs.

They will regulary contact and meet with you to discuss your Chamber membership and will be on hand to assist with your requirements to assure a return on your investment.

A Sheffield Chamber featured article gives your business news additional and enhanced exposure, which is fantastic if you want to build your businesses brand recognition through content.

Your article will be hosted on the front page of our website in a dedicated area for one week and also included as a small feature in one of our ‘Focus on Business’ email newsletters.

As a Chamber member you can benefit from exclusive discounts and offers submitted by fellow Chamber members, which provided an opportunity for our members to come together as a business community and benefit from unique promotions and rates.

Whether you would like to offer discounted tickets to an event or free support sessions, there is a dedicated area in our Member Hub that enables you offer and promote this to our member database.

Our membership opportunities area of the website is a specific place where members can post and share their opportunities with other fellow members.

Whether it is a job opportunity, a business need or a request for services, this is an area in our online Member Hub where you can specifically request information from other businesses within membership.

Chamber members have the opportunity to feature their events on our website. This acts as distribution channel for your business to showcase and promote your events and increase subscription rates.

Updated on a daily basis, the news section of the Chambers website showcases the latest goings on in the business community, both in and outside the region.

Sheffield Chamber members have the ability to upload their own business news, giving you an additional avenue to shout about your business activity and success.

Sheffield International Trade Centre are approved to supply any international trade documentation your business may require.

The accurate completion of export documentation is vital if charges and delays are to be avoided and shipments are to meet their deadlines. We are authorised to supply export documentation and certify shipments and can help your business through the entire process, from choosing the right documentation to ensuring it is correctly completed.

We act as an issuing body and are authorised by:

• HM government, for the issue of all non-preference Certificates of Origin
• HMRC, for preference documents such as EUR1’s and A.TR certificates
• The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, to act as agents for the issuing of Arab British Certificates of Origin to the Arab League Nations

Certificates of Origin

Exporters are often asked to supply a Certificate of Origin for a variety of reasons; to certify the origin of goods, to support a Letter of Credit, or to satisfy overseas Customs procedures.

Arab-British Certificates of Origin

A customs clearance requirement to evidence the origin of the goods for Arab League States and may also be requested by the importing company.

EUR1 Movement Certificate

An EUR1 support claims for preferential (usually zero) rates of duty in the country of implementation. To qualify, the goods must ‘originate’ in the UK or EU. The preference system only applies to countries where certain trade agreements exist with the EU.

A.TR Movement Certificate

An A.TR certificate entitle goods which are in ‘free circulation’ in the EU (the goods are EU-originating, or on importation into the EU all relevant duties and taxes have been paid) to receive preferential import duty when shipped to Turkey. This applies to all eligible goods except agricultural goods, minerals and steel, which require an EUR1.

We can also authenticate signatures on other documents and are able to make arrangements for legal documents to be apostilled or signed by a notary public.

We provide a while-you-wait service on Monday-Friday, 9.00am-11.30am and 2.00pm-4.00pm*.

For more information please contact our team on 0114 201 8888 or email international@scci.org.uk.

* please note an additional reception fee is applicable between 2.00pm-4.00pm

eCERT is a service offering which enables exporters to obtain certain certificates online. It can be used to obtain European Community and Arab British Certificates of Origin, EUR1s and ATR documents.

eCERT is also used to certify other commercial documents such as commercial invoices and packing lists and is approved by the British Chambers of Commerce as being compliant with regulations and data security requirements.

Why Use eCERT?

• No need to leave your office, saving valuable time
• Cost effective
• More accurate completion
• No postage charges
• Professional presentation every time
• Fast service
• No retyping of data for similar content

Our Export Office Hub provides a full documentation service. This enables us to manage the full trade facilitation process for you, from placement of order to payment, covering all customs procedures, declarations, freight, logistics and documentation, including letter of credit management (if required).

Register online at www.ecert.sgs.com to apply for documents electronically.

If you require any assistance during the setting up process please contact our team on 0114 201 8888 or email international@scci.org.uk.

Since the EU referendum in June 2016, business communities across the UK have faced unprecedented levels of uncertainty about trading conditions in the future.

The UK has now formally notified the EU that it will neither accept nor seek any extension to the transition period on the 31st December 2021.

The end of the transition period will affect many businesses in the UK, and crucially, it will also affect their EU customers/suppliers and their commercial relationships with them. Sheffield Chamber is encouraging companies of all sizes and sectors to prepare themselves and be proactive in ensuring they are setting their company up to change from free trade to full customs procedures, duties and VAT.

Sheffield Chamber are here to provide support and advice.

Click here for more information

Sheffield Chamber cannot stop Brexit, but it can help you through it.

For further information please do not delay. Contact our specially trained staff on 0114 201 8888 or email international@scci.org.uk.

Prepare your business for the end of the Brexit transition agreement, which will go ahead on the 31st December 2020.

SITC now offer a new system whereby the audits can be conducted online.

During the compliance audit we will get a thorough understanding of your business.

• We can advise you on the specific areas you need to consider to reduce the effect both to your business and that of your customers in Europe.
• Explain the implications of customs procedures and we can calculate the cost to your balance sheet on a month by month and annual basis. We will go through the list of actions that can be introduced to mitigate compliance risk and cost.
• Help you apply for customs systems to ensure you are using the most efficient practises that are available to limit cost and exposure.
• Discuss the management of the change, your compliance responsibilities and the consequences of ill preparation.

If your business requires an ‘are you prepared’ compliance audit, please get in touch, call 0114 201 8888, or email international@scci.org.uk.

We can complete trade documentation on your company’s behalf, and liaise with any 3rd party, such as freight forwarders, to ensure your goods are delivered.

Sheffield Chamber fully appreciate that some businesses do not always have the time, expertise or confidence to manage their own export processes. We can do this for you, leaving you to focus on making your products and running your business.

Our Export Office Hub service is a specially designed facility that houses a dedicated team of international trade professionals, who are experts in all areas of export/import administration. We can complete trade documentation on your company’s behalf, and liaise with any 3rd party, such as freight forwarders, to ensure your goods are delivered.

All documents, which are prepared with absolute confidence, accuracy and efficiency, can be completed via email, telephone and post, saving you precious time and money.

This service includes:

Including, but not limited to, Certificate of Origin, Arab Certificate of Origin, EUR1, A.TR, Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Inspection Report, Bill of Exchange, Dangerous Goods Notes and Standard Shipping Notes.

For more information please contact our team on 0114 201 8888 or email international@scci.org.uk.

A Letter of Credit is a guarantee from a bank that the seller will receive payment from a buyer and can save you time, reduce risk and accelerate payments.

We offer three tiers of service:

Tier 1 - Feasibility Check

It is not uncommon for Issuing Banks to raise non-feasible Letters of Credit. On receipt of the LC, simply email the Letter of Credit to us and we will check it to ensure the conditions can be met by your company, which supporting documents (plus how many copies) are required, how they must be worded to meet LC conditions and make aware of any time limited rules.

• Members price per check: £50+VAT
• Non-member price per check: £100+VAT

Tier 2 – Pre-presentation Check

Prepare and collate all your documentation as per the LC ready for presentation to the bank. We will check through all documentation to ensure everything is in line with the LC and highlight any possible discrepancies/anomalies.

Price to be confirmed subject to number of documents to check.

Tier 3 – Full Management

Sheffield Chamber will deal with your Letter of Credit from the outset. Including liaising with your freight forwarder to make sure the transport documents are correctly prepared, together with any other 3rd party (such as issuing banks and port authorities), as well as generating the remaining documents and presenting them to the bank on your behalf. Should the bank have any queries, we will address them for you.

For more information please contact our team on 0114 201 8888 or email international@scci.org.uk.

Licences are needed for import and export where the ECO (Export Control Organisation) indicates a need for control.

We offer two tiers of service:

Tier 1 – Pre-submission Check

After you have prepared your licence application as per ECO regulations, we will conduct an independent assessment of it prior to the submission to the ECO. We will then arrange to visit you at your premises to go through your application, cross referencing with the end-user undertaking (EUU) form, sales order detail and any other relevant supporting documentation. Here you will be advised of any areas of concern with your application prior to submitting to the ECO.

Tier 2 – Full Management

Sheffield Chamber will support your business through the entire process of successfully achieving your licence. We will check it to ensure its conditions can be met, liaise with your Freight Forwarder to make sure the transport documents are correctly prepared, together with any other third party. We will fulfil the export licence criteria, gathering all the supporting documentation for you and we will tie in other parameters such as Letters of Credit and Certificates of Origin.

Occasionally good are seized by UK border control, invariably this is because they require an export licence. In these cases we can assist with the release of goods.

For further information on Import/Export Licences, please call 0114 201 8888 or email international@scci.org.uk.

Are you importing, exporting, paying for a service abroad or receiving international funding?

Sheffield Chamber have joined forces with leading specialists moneycorp, to offer a dedicated foreign exchange service that provides peace of mind to know your FX needs are in the hands of experts.

Through this partnership, you can access:

• Preferential exchange rates
• Zero international payment fees*
• Free FX audit
• Multiple currency holding accounts when you open your moneycorp account
• A dedicated account manager for expert market guidance and hedging strategy

Sign up for a corporate FX account today

moneycorp have helped more than 14,000 businesses with international payments, risk management solutions and tools to help businesses compete on the global stage. They will ensure your funds get where they need to be on time and help minimise your currency costs.

Sign up for a corporate international payments account today and discover how your business could reduce currency costs and risk in a global marketplace.

Click here to access

Alternatively, call us on 0114 201 8888 or email international@scci.org.uk for more information.

*certain limits may apply

Although currently not mandatory, businesses accredited with an AEO status, have a commercial advantage when importing and exporting. Those holding the status benefit from streamlined customs processes and fast-tracked shipments through border control. Indirectly, the status strengthens the business’s reputation as a safe and secure trading partner, giving them a competitive advantage.

Due to the changing face of international trade and World Customs Organisation (WCO) objectives, the requirement for businesses to hold an AEO status may significantly increase, as those holding it will, by default, receive priority clearance. Those not accredited will be subject to detrimental impacts on their customs related activity, both operationally and financially.

The benefits of AEO

• Reduced administration
• Movement of goods
• Improved security & safety
• Improved supply chain predictability and consistency
• Simplified Customs declarations and EIDR (Entry in Declarant’s Records)
• Transit simplifications
• Priority treatment of consignments if selected for control
• The option of a centralised clearance self-assessment
• Easier admittance to special procedures such as CSFP (Customs Freight Simplified Procedures), temporary storage and customs warehousing
• Duty deferment guarantee reduction and SIVA (Simplified Import VAT Accounting)
• Guarantee reductions or waivers
• Removal of previous sales provisions relating to valuations

How we can help

Successfully achieving an AEO status for a business can be a time consuming, challenging and daunting exercise. As the only Chamber of Commerce to be AEO accredited, we can help your business through every step of the process, from preparing and assessing if your business is ready to submit a formal application, to successfully achieving and maintaining the status.

We offer two tiers of service:

Working with your finance and operations departments, and any staff involved in international trade administration we will conduct a full audit and risk assessment of your current international operations and customs procedures against the required standard. You will be provided with a detailed corrections report of the actions your business needs to take, and any enhancements and changes that need to be made to achieve a successful application for AEO status.

Subject to the complexity of your company’s structure and the number of sites to cover, this process typically takes two days. At this stage, subject to our recommendations, if required we can continue to full AEO approval (see tier 2).

For more information on any aspect of AEO, please contact our team on 0114 201 8888 or email customs@scci.org.uk.

This level includes working with your business through the entire compliance and application process for AEO status.

In this case your business will achieve the level of compliance required to become accredited with Registered Exporter Status (REX), Approved Exporter Status (AES) and Authorised Economic Operator (AEO). Your business will also meet the standard for ISO 28000 approval.

The first stage of this tier will involve conducting an initial control assessment of your business against the required standard (see tier 1). We will then support your business in implementing any new procedures required and ensure that your documentation for ongoing WCO are upheld.

As part of the application process HMRC will visit your business to conduct its own audit, evaluating your finances, shipping procedures, site security and customs compliance. As such we will conduct a trial application prior to submitting your application, to ensure nothing is amiss.

Finally, we will assist you in completing every section of the final application and be present through the HRMC audit.

For more information on any aspect of AEO, please contact our team on 0114 201 8888 or email customs@scci.org.uk.

Chamber Customs delivers a customs declaration service for UK importers and exporters, of all sizes, in every region of the United Kingdom.

With our extensive knowledge, reputation and first-class service in facilitating international trade, we can take the hassle out of your hands when it comes to exporting and importing goods.

The service is offered direct to businesses and through UK freight forwarders, ensuring that customs clearance is accurate, timely and avoids additional costs through delays or errors.

With direct links to the HMRC Customs handling system and all inventory linked ports, we can ensure that your goods, no matter where they enter or leave the UK, will be cleared for onward transportation smoothly. We can help you keep your time sensitive supply chains, moving efficiently and economically.

We offer:

• A high level of compliance and assurance for customers
• Confidence on tariff and data entry to remove fiscal risk; backed by the technical expertise of the market leader in this sector
• The Chamber of Commerce across the UK share a welath of international trade experience and knowledge.

We know that navigating trade documentation can be complicated. Please get in touch if you have any queries about trading internationally or want to find out more about customs declarations services.

For more information please contact the Sheffield International Trade Centre on 0114 201 8888 or email customs@scci.org.uk.

Driven by World Trade Organisation (WTO) and World Customs Organisation (WCO) rules, customs and excise legislation is subject to significant and frequent change and complexity. An internationally trading business must keep up to date with these changes and routinely audit its procedures to ensure compliance.

Sheffield Chamber can support businesses on all technical customs matters and changes as they happen. To avoid any adverse impacts to your business operations in the event of compliance failure, we can assist you to implement procedures to control and manage areas of customs compliance and look at best practice procedures to reduce operating costs.

Whatever the question, query or issue you have, Sheffield Chamber can provide a highly experienced professional industry expert, that will be able to identify and support the implementation of any necessary changes required.

We offer expert consultancy and advice in the following areas:

• Customs Compliance
• Customs Planning and Management
• Customs and Excise Duties
• Excise Planning and Management
• VAT
• Import and Export Customs Procedures
• Customs Duty Reliefs
• Rules of Origin
• Electronic Declaration Procedures
• Simplified Customs Procedures
• Training in Customs and Excise and Import / Export Procedures
• European and North American Customs Issues
• Import and Export Licencing Applications

If required we can also offer in-house tailored audits for your company in customs/VAT procedural compliance, logistics, documentary and procedure compliance.

For more information on any aspect of Customs and Excise, please contact our team on 0114 201 8888 or email customs@scci.org.uk.

Our Global Business Network acts as an agile and reliable ecosystem for businesses wishing to widen their international horizons. If you want to start doing business internationally, or looking to explore new markets, this service can assist by connecting you with individuals, organisations and stakeholders in 80 major growth markets across the world.

Sheffield Chambers dedicated team can provide you with support services and solutions, practical advice about the local business environment and potential market opportunities. Whether it’s navigating the legal challenges in a new market, finding a local partner or getting frank advice on how to best position a product or service overseas – our Global Business Network can help.

For more information, please contact our team on 0114 201 8888 or email international@scci.org.uk.