Manufacturing SMEs call for clarity on government COVID-19 support

News

UK manufacturing SMEs are confused about government support and deeply concerned about the future of their businesses, according to the initial findings of the Manufacturing Barometer.

Conducted by South West Manufacturing Advisory Service (SWMAS) and the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP), the report – which covers over 330 firms across England - shows that almost 9 out of 10 of respondents expect sales to drop over the next six months, whilst more than half predict the need to cut staff  – despite the government’s furloughing scheme being introduced to boost employee retention and preserve businesses.

There also appears to be continued confusion over the business support available. Nearly three quarters of firms questioned either don’t think the assistance being offered is sufficient or are unsure of the help they can access.

Unsurprisingly, almost 90 per cent said that financial support was needed most, followed by overcoming supply chain disruption and detailed business advice on how to cope with the pandemic.

MORE COVID-19 ENGINEERING NEWS 

In total, 80 per cent of businesses questioned said they are either struggling to source materials or have seen reduced orders from customers since the crisis began, whilst just over half of respondents have said that restrictions on exporting and importing is having an impact on their operations.

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.  

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address