SMEs in Merseyside are eligible for SkillWorks

An SME is defined as a "small or medium-sized enterprise" and is any entity engaged in economic activity, irrespective of its legal form - including self-employed people, family businesses, partnerships and associations provided that it:

• employs fewer than 250 people.
• has a turnover of less than €50 million (about £35m) per annum or net balance sheet assets of less than €43 million (about £30m).
• is an enterprise with less than 25 % of the capital or voting rights owned by another enterprise (or enterprises) which is not itself a SME. This threshold may be exceeded if the capital is held by public investment corporations, venture capitalist or institutional investors. An enterprise with 25 % or more of its capital or voting rights controlled by a public body is not a SME.

You may still be ranked as autonomous even if the 25% threshold is reached or exceeded by any of the following investors:

• Public investment corporations, venture capital companies and business angels.
• Universities and non-profit research centres.
• Institutional investors, including regional development funds.
• Autonomous local authorities with an annual budget of less than €10 million and fewer than 5,000 inhabitants.

Details and explanations of the new SME definition which took effect on 1/1/2005 are available in a User Guide published by the European Commission. Click here to download a PDF version.

SkillWorks covers five Merseyside local authorities, eligible objective 1 postcodes are as follows:

Liverpool

L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L7, L8, L9, L11, L12, L13, L14, L15, L16, L17, L18, L19, L24, L25, L27

Knowsley

L10, L26, L28, L32, L33, L34, L35, L36

Sefton

L20, L21, L22, L23, L29, L30, L31, L37, L38, PR8, PR9

Wirral

CH41, CH42, CH43, CH44, CH45, CH46, CH47, CH48, CH49, CH60, CH61, CH62, CH63

St Helens

WA9 1, WA9 2, WA9 3, WA9 4, WA9 5, WA10 1, WA10 2, WA10 3, WA10 4, WA10 5, WA10 6, WA11 0, WA11 7, WA11 8, WA11 9, WA11 10, WA12 0, WA12 8, WA12 9, WN4 0, WN5 7, L34 (part), L35 (part)

These postcodes are merely a guide, your geographical eligibility will be checked by providers. If you are having difficulties with The SkillWork's eligibility criteria do not hesitate to Contact Us to discuss your case. If you fulfill the eligibility criteria you can register immediately through this website.