Resource directory 

• Energy efficiency grants for small and medium-sized businesses in Westminster.
  Funding is now available for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), voluntary and community organisations, and landlords with SME tenants in Westminster to implement quick, energy-saving retrofits and solutions. The grant is open from 17 June to March 2025; however, it is on first-come-first-served, so be quick to submit an expression of interest.
  Learn More
  
• Westminster Strategic Growth Initiative
  This scheme helps you grow your business by leveraging industry trends and tech advancements. Achieve long-term profit goals while making a positive impact on the local economy, communities, and the environment.
  Learn More
• Community Investment Portfolio
  The Community Investment Portfolio provides essential investment support within the borough by empowering the development of locally led solutions. Learn more here about the benefits of becoming a partner and how to access the Community Investment Portal.

Access the Westminster City Council Grant and Funding Tool here to search for grants and funding opportunities for your business.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund 

The fund aims to improve pride in place, while increasing life chances, investing in communities, and supporting local business, people and skills. Learn More

 

• Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement Programme and “Ask for Angela” 
  This course is designed to help you identify vulnerability and put interventions in place to support those visitors coming to your business.
• Awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace for managers
  This course provides you with the knowledge and tools needed to address harassment effectively, ensuring a safe workplace that upholds the dignity of all employees.
• Mental Health and Wellbeing Awareness
  This course provides a basic introduction for anyone with an interest in finding out more about mental health.

Find more courses tailored for your business through the Safer Business Network’s training directory.

• Business resilience programme.
• Safety and contingency planning. 
• Counter terrorism.
• Health and safety at work.

Schemes for businesses to prevent crime

We have compiled a list of MET Police crime prevention schemes to help your business combat crime. Click the links below to find the ones that best suit your business needs.

• Police and Security
  Police and Security is a business-led initiative designed to simplify and improve collaboration, communication, coordination, trust and feedback between the police and the private security industry.
• Shopwatch
  Shopwatch is a community-based crime prevention scheme that promotes communication between retailers and local police to reduce crime.
• Secured Environments
  Secured Environments is a police certification scheme awarded to organisations that are able to show they have adopted six key principles for protecting themselves against crime.

Protect your business

•  MET‘s Business Advice Guide
• Ways to prevent theft by staff
• Prevent diners leaving your restaurant without paying
• Protect your property against vandalism
• Keeping a business property safe and secure during a public event

Retail business safety tips and advice

The Safer Business Network (SBN) works with local police, councils, and businesses to improve safety in local areas. They focus on reducing crime, enhancing communication, and providing training and resources to businesses. Use the links below for quick access to SBN resources.

Safety & Security

• Our Safer City
  The “Our Safer City” initiative aims to reduce violence against women and girls (VAWG) in London, focusing on safety measures such as Taxi Marshalling, Safe Havens, and data analysis.
• Women’s Night Safety Charter
  The Women’s Night Safety Charter encourages businesses to pledge support for safer environments for women at night through staff training and awareness initiatives.
• Safe Havens
  Safe Havens are businesses that offer temporary refuge to individuals in need. Businesses can register to become Safe Havens, and staff will receive training to assist without providing specialist interventions.
• National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership
  The National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership (NICRP) is a collaborative initiative focused on tackling infrastructure crime across critical industries like telecommunications, energy, and transportation.

Crime Prevention Initiatives & Campaigns

• Safer Business Action Days
  Safer Business Action Days (SaBA) are national initiatives in collaboration with the National Business Crime Centre, bringing together local partnerships, police, councils, and retail staff to combat business-related crime. These days focus on information sharing, collaboration, and showcasing the power of partnerships in improving safety and reducing crime in the business community.
• Safer Business Network is a #ShopKind Champion
  ShopKind is a campaign that promotes kindness and respect for shopworkers, aiming to reduce abuse and violence in retail environments. The initiative encourages businesses to support this cause by becoming ShopKind Champions, spreading awareness, and creating safer spaces for employees and customers.

How the London Living Wage can benefit your business:

The Good Work Standard

The Good Work Standard is a free accreditation programme that provides employers with a set of best employment practices alongside information and resources to help achieve them. Click here to learn more.

 

Become a Met supplier

The Met is committed to improving access for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in London.

By March 2025, it plans to purchase 20 percent of goods and services from:

• local micro and small businesses
• diverse businesses
• VCSEs (voluntary, community and social enterprises

If you’re an SME, read the GOV.UK guidance on selling to government & click here to learn how to become a Met supplier.

Climate change and related environmental challenges have a direct impact on how people experience the Heart of London area and the performance of the West End economy. Learn how your business can get involved through the links below.

• • Better Futures programme
  • Retrofit Accelerator – Workplaces
  • Coping with hot weather
  • Keeping warm, healthy and safe in cold weather

Climate change and related environmental challenges have a direct impact on how people experience the Heart of London area and the performance of the West End economy. Learn how your business can get involved through the links below.

• The Sustainable City Charter is a pledge for owners, managers and occupiers of non-domestic buildings in Westminster.
• Commercial Waste Services.
• Westminster environment guidance.