The Employment Rights Act 2025 is here — and if you run a business, employ even one member of staff, or work as a sole trader who occasionally brings in contractors, this affects you.

Great news for small businesses across the region — Citylife Business Support has returned for 2026, and we're delighted to be part of it once again.

A new round of fully-funded expert support is now available to SMEs in Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, North Tyneside and Northumberland, running from April through to December 2026. Applications opened on 1st May, and if you haven't already taken steps to register your interest, now is the time to act.

Phase 2 of the North of Tyne Business Support Fund is now live, offering up to 50% funding for growth-focused projects costing £3,000–£8,000. If your business in Newcastle, North Tyneside, or Northumberland needs support with strategy development, performance improvement, or business growth planning, HiThrive is here to help. As a registered provider with NBSL, we can guide you through the application process and ensure your project maximises this funding opportunity. Don’t miss out—get in touch with HiThrive today!

The Sunderland Business Support Fund (SBSF) is a grant programme aimed at driving economic growth by enabling businesses to access external expertise, facilitating business growth and improvement plans.

Exciting news! HiThrive is thrilled to be part of the new Growth & Resilience Support scheme, offering fully-funded support for eligible micro and small businesses in Northumberland.

Have you heard the exciting news? HiThrive is thrilled to be part of the new Citylife Business Support Scheme, following our successful involvement in three previous initiatives. This new scheme is designed to provide fully-funded support to eligible SMEs in Newcastle upon Tyne’s local authority area. But what does this mean for you?

There comes a time in every business’ lifetime when it needs more; it needs to be shaped by fresh eyes and a new perspective, or guided through change by those with different experiences and expertise.

The North East Business Support Fund has been helping North East SME’s to grow and develop for almost a decade.

Back in 2019, we teamed up with North East’s Business & IP Centre to offer free one-to-one advice to local businesses.

The COVID-19 pandemic may not seem like the most natural time to be investing in additional resources. But the truth is that an extra pair of hands could be exactly what small and medium-sized enterprises need to navigate the pandemic and emerge stronger on the other side.

At HiThrive, we are committed to helping and supporting small businesses during this challenging time.

Even though your business will inevitably start out small and with only a handful of clients, scaling up should be something that you think about from day one.