Business Link:
0845 600 9 006 or www.businesslink.gov.uk

Central organisation for 45 local Business Links offering free or affordable advice on everything from start-ups, financing and marketing, to tax, e-commerce and exporting. Includes Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme. Also see www.businessadviceonline.org.uk

Companies House:
0870 333 3636
www.companieshouse.gov.uk

Confederation of British Industry (CBI):
www.cbi.org.uk

Department for Education & Skills:
Tel: 0870 000 2288
www.dfes.gov.uk

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs:
Tel: 08459 33 55 77
www.defra.gov.uk

Email: helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Department of Trade & Industry:
Tel: 020 7215 5000
www.dti.gov.uk

Department for Work & Pensions:
www.dwp.gov.uk

Government Gateway:
Centralised registration service for e-Government services in the UK. Registering enables you to sign up for any of the UK Government's services that are available over the Internet, providing a single User ID or digital certificate to send and receive forms, such as tax returns and VAT returns.
www.gateway.gov.uk

Government Office for the NW
Tel: 0161 952 4000
www.go-nw.gov.uk

Health & Safety Executive (HSE):
Tel: 08453 450055
www.hsedirect.com

Improvement & Development Agency (I&DeA):
Wide-ranging local government portal.
Tel: 020 7296 6600
www.idea.gov.uk

Invest UK:
Government's investment agency helping the world's companies set up or expand business from a British base.
Tel: 0207 4671900
www.invest.uk.com

Investors In People:
Also runs National Business Awards.
Tel: 0207 467 1900
www.investorsinpeople.co.uk

Jobcentre Plus:
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

Office of Fair Trading (OFT):
Consumer direct advice service: 0845 404 0506
www.oft.gov.uk

Office of Public Sector Information:
www.opsi.gov.uk

Startups:
www.startups.co.uk

Statistics:
Local statistics: www.annualreport.gov.uk/inyourarea/
National Statistics: www.statistics.gov.uk

Technology Means Business:

Site of the industry standard for advisers and organisations providing business-related ICT advice.