A NEW service has been launched to help budding entrepreneurs.

Citizens Advice Halton has teamed up with the Enterprise Hub to offer a fast-track information and advice service to Halton residents who want to set up their own business or go self-employed.

The Enterprise Hub, funded by European Regional Development Funding, is led by the Womens Organisation and is a multi-agency run enterprise gateway offering business start-up support across the Liverpool City Region.

Through a combination of one to one advice and enterprise training free expert support is available to research ideas for a new enterprise, build a business and marketing plan, create financial forecasts and identify sources of finance to get started.

Hitesh Patel, chief executive of Citizens Advice Halton, said: “We are delighted to be part of this initiative because setting up a business or going self-employed can be really daunting.

“ It’s really important that budding entrepreneurs get support to sort out their personal finances and that’s where Citizens Advice Halton’s accredited Money Advice team can really help.

“We can help people draw up realistic household budgets, review any personal debt liabilities and address any other social welfare advice needs so that people understand exactly how much they can afford to invest in their business ideas.”

Halton Cllr Eddie Jones, the borough’s member of the Liverpool City Region’s Employment and Skills Board, added: “Helping business start-ups is key to growing our local economy.

“It’s great to see Citizens Advice Halton offering this new service and helping local people connect with the Enterprise Hub to get access to all the support they need to give their business idea the best possible start.”

To get help from Citizens Advice Halton e- mail advice@citizensadvicehalton.org.uk.

Anyone interested in exploring a business start-up idea should e-mail enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk.