By Ben Lobel

Nine out of 10 SMEs in the UK say government action is falling short

Government schemes to support small and mid-sized businesses are falling woefully short, a survey carried out by leading SME website cmypitch.com has found.

Nine out of 10 of more than 2,000 entrepreneurs and business owners surveyed by the site for entrepreneurs and business owners stated that the government is not supporting SMEs sufficiently, and the majority of respondents were not even aware of the schemes designed to help them.

For those that had heard of government schemes available such as the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme, Train to Gain, the Working Capital Scheme and other recent initiatives, very few have been able to successfully access or use them.

Schemes are said to not come close to providing what is needed despite businesses hitting crisis point.

More than half of all SMEs have never heard of any of the schemes, and eligibility, red tape and efficiency of provision are creating an insurmountable barrier for many.

Most see a Conservative government as the solution for creating a better business environment.

Cashflow, gaining customers, and access to finance were the biggest mid-term issues, with retaining customers and finding the best staff also key concerns.

Source: http://www.execdigital.co.uk/UK-SMEs--Government-action-failing_25125.aspx