Start Up
Business Planning

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Provider Business Planning Support

PREPARE is a programme created by Childcare Works for childcare providers to help them review their business to support decision making and growth. It provides bite-sized videos to help providers understand the key elements of a business plan.
from Childcare Works

Starting out

Business Planning for Early Years Providers
from PACEY

Establish the need for your club by conducting a survey of demand

from Out of School Alliance

Childcare toolkit

Comprehensive Childcare Business Planning Toolkit including eBook and templates
from NatWest Business

Setting up a childcare provision (Nov 2019)

A guide to setting up childcare provision
from eyalliance.org.uk

Childminders

An overview of childminding
from PACEY

Write a business plan

Government guide to writing a business plan, with samples and templates
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

What is a business plan?

A business plan is a document which describes what you want to achieve within your business. It is relevant to companies, charities and sole traders. A business plan typically includes your objectives, outlines how you will achieve these objectives, financial forecasts and your approach to marketing.
from FSB

How To Guides

Practical step by step video guide to business planning
from Small Business Britain

Business Model Canvas – One-page plan

Business Model Canvas and Template for business planning
from NatWest Business Builder

Learning and insights

Business Model Canvas video guides
from Barclays Eagle Labs (uk.barclays)

Commercial awareness

Commercial Awareness Online Course (2 hours) – the importance of value
from OpenLearn - Open University

Reviewing your business plan

Reviewing Your Business Plan
from British Business Bank (british-business-bank.co.uk)

Business structures for out of school clubs

A useful guide to different business structures available to out-of-school providers
from Out of School Alliance

How To Guides

Practical step by step video guides about legal structure and when to register as a limited company
from Small Business Britain

How to register a new business

How to register a new business
from FSB

Set up a business

Government Guide to different business types
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Become a childminder or nanny (England): Overview

Becoming a childminder or nanny
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The power of childminders

Case study video about becoming a childminder and registering with a childminder agency.
from Department for Education

Charitable settings – legislation and governance

Legislation and governance overview for charitable settings
from Early Years Alliance

Become a childminder in England

Becoming a Childminder in England
from PACEY

Running a limited company

Running a limited company – all aspects with links to relevant information
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Set up a limited company: step by step

Step by step guide to setting up as a limited company
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Set up as a sole trader: step by step

Step by Step guide to setting up as a sole trader
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Setting up a social enterprise

Setting up a social enterprise
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Set up a charity: Set up a charity

Setting up a social enterprise
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Set up a charity: Set up a charity

Setting up or registering a charity
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Self Assessment tax returns: Overview –

Self-assessment and tax returns
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Wraparound childcare guidance for schools

National Wraparound Childcare Guidance for Schools
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Charity Commission

The Charity Commission – the register and regulator of charities in England and Wales, to ensure that the public can support charities with confidence
from GOV.UK

Support for charity trustees

Guides and videos to support charity trustees
from GOV.UK

Updated guidance – Advice and guidance for charity trustees

5-minute guides to charity governance
from GOV.UK

Take the trustee quiz – Test your knowledge as a trustee

Online trustee quiz to check understanding of responsibilities
from GOV.UK

The essential trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do

A guide to charity trustees outlining what they need to know and what they need to do
from GOV.UK

Free guide: How to start a small business

Free Guide Covering how to start a small business
from FSB

Setting up my business

NatWest Guide to Starting a Business
from NatWest Business

Starting your tech business

Starting a Business – online course
from Barclays

Get help and support for your business –

Free advice from Government Business Support Service
from GOV.UK

The essential guide to starting a business

The Essential Guide to Starting a New Business with practical tips and how to guides
from Start Up Loans

Personal Survival Budget template

Personal Survival Budget – to help understand what you need from your business
from Start Up Loans

Early education and childcare (applies from 1 April 2024)

An overview of LA childcare sufficiency duties Note: Each LA should publish a detailed report on their website detailing the findings of their current and future childcare sufficiency assessment.
from GOV.UK

Childcare providers and inspections: management information

sChildcare Inspections – Management information from Ofsted
from GOV.UK

Statistics: childcare and early years

Statistics about Early Years and Childcare from parent and provider perspective
from GOV.UK

Study of early education and development (SEED)

A study of early education and development (SEED) to evaluate the: • effect of early education on children’s outcomes • quality of provision • value for money of providing funded early years education
from GOV.UK

Universal Credit childcare element statistics, March 2021 to May 2024 –

Report on the use of the childcare element of universal credit
from GOV.UK

What is Employers’ Liability insurance?

A guide to employers’ liability insurance
from FSB

Avoid unfair terms in sales contracts: Overview

Avoid unfair terms in business contracts
from GOV.UK

Marketing and advertising: the law: Overview

Marketing and the law
from GOV.UK

Fire safety in the workplace: Fire safety equipment, drills and training

A guide to fire safety in the workplace
from GOV.UK

UK GDPR guidance and resources

General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) guidance and resources
from ICO

Data protection and your business: Overview –

Data protection and your business
from GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Data protection fee self-assessment |

Data Protection fee – self assessment
from ICO

Your data security checklist: Nine principles you cannot afford to overlook

Data security tips
from FSB

Overview of how the GDPR will affect out of school clubs

An introduction to GDPR requirements for out-of-school providers
from Out of School Alliance

Finding suitable premises for your out of school club |

Guidance to securing the right premises.
from Out of School Alliance

Planning permission – Adverts and signs

Planning Permission – Adverts and signs
from Planning Portal

Dispose of business or commercial waste: Your responsibilities

Disposal of business waste
from GOV.UK

Driving a minibus

Driving a minibus
from GOV.UK

Have the right workplace facilities – Overview

A guide to providing the right workplace facilities
from HSE

Apply for a Start Up Loan for your business

Government-backed Start Up Loan of £500 to £25,000 to start or grow your business
from GOV.UK

Finding funding for your club

Funding sources and funding application tips for out-of-school providers
from Out of School Alliance

National Wraparound Childcare Programme Handbook – a guide for local authorities

National Wraparound Childcare Programme Handbook
from Department of Education

National Wraparound Childcare Programme

National Wraparound Childcare Programme – information for providers
from Out of School Alliance

Sign up to Tax-Free Childcare if you’re a childcare provider

Sign Up to Receive Tax Free Childcare
from GOV.UK

Information for Childcare providers |

Childcare Choices – Government website with information about funding, universal credit, tax-free childcare and resources for childcares
from Childcare Choices

Early Years grants and funding for your setting

Blog with grant and funding ideas for Early Years providers (with suggestions relevant to all childcare providers)
from Famly

How to write a better Early Years funding application

Advice for how to write better funding applications
from Famly

Apply for a childminder start-up grant

Apply for childminder start up grant (until March 2025)
from GOV.UK

Sources of income for early years providers

Department for Education guidance to sources of income for early years providers
from GOV.UK

How To Guides

Step by Step Guide on practical financial matters including keeping on top of numbers, finding an accountant, and when to register for VAT or as self-employed
from Small Business Britain

Profit and loss statements

An introduction to Profit and Loss Statements
from NatWest Business Builder

Basics of bookkeeping

Basics of Bookkeeping
from NatWest Business Builder

Cash Flow Forecast template

Cash flow – information and template
from Start Up Loans

Provider Business Planning Support

Finances for childcare – bite sized videos
from Childcare Works

Digital banking: Choosing the right bank account for your business

Choosing the right bank account for your business
from FSB

Accounts and tax returns for private limited companies: Overview –

Accounts for Limited companies
from GOV.UK

Introduction to bookkeeping and accounting

An Introduction to Bookkeeping and Accounting - 8 hours of introductory learning
from OpenLearn - Open University

Provider Business Planning Support

PREPARE is a programme of support created by Childcare Works for childcare providers and includes useful videos about Finance Matters including income and expenditure, budgets, cash flow forecasts, breakeven analysis, profit and loss and financial controls
from Childcare Works

Guidance and resources

Guidance and resources to promote 30 hours promote tax-free childcare
from Childcare Choices

How Universal Credit Childcare works

A guide to Universal Credit
from Childcare Choices

Free guide: Small business taxes and VAT

A guide to business taxes
from FSB

Seven tips for completing your self assessment tax return

Tips for Completing Your Self-Assessment Tax Return
from FSB

How to avoid five common tax mistakes for the self-employed

Avoiding common mistakes with a tax return
from FSB

BIM52751 – Care providers: childminders: expenses – HMRC internal manual

A guide for childminders about the expenses they can claim
from GOV.UK

Estimate your Self Assessment tax bill if you’re self-employed

HMRC guidance around how to budget for a childminder self-assessment tax bill
from GOV.UK