Easter launch for home business manifesto

Live Work Network and Enterprise Nation will this Easter weekend launch a manifesto and online campaign – Home Business Progress – calling for reforms to support home enterprise and live/work.

Already the campaign has backing from major organisations including Microsoft, UK Business Incubation, CABE and the Town and Country Planning Assocation.

Add your voice

Home Business Progress wants to offer a voice for all organisations wanting greater support for the home-based business and live/work sectors.

The manifesto will be presented to the main political parties in the run-up to the 2010 general election.

The manifesto makes clear the link between home-based business and business survival in the recession. And it calls on the next government to extend the support shown in the recent response by ministers to the Taylor Review on housing and the rural economy.

Live Work Network has long argued for better professional support and fairer and consistent regulations for live/workers and home-based businesses.

By living and working in one building we’re good for the planet, we’re giving the economy a huge boost, and between us we offer a daytime presence in areas abandoned by commuters during the day or by ‘office’ workers at weekends and evenings.

Working from home is also proven to be more productive, and costs less than creating and maintaining separate premises.

As the recession hits harder and still more ‘traditional’ jobs are lost we believe encouraging more people to work from home, as a start-up business or an employee, is more relevant than ever before.

Live/Work Network director Tim Dwelly said: 'We do not see these proposals as politically controversial or likely to favour any one party above another. But now we know over 40% of all UK businesses are home-based, we do think it is time for politicians to take this part of the economy much more seriously.

'If the economic upturn we’re all hoping for comes with a wholesale return to the old wasteful way of discrete working and living we will have lost a golden opportunity to launch a lower carbon economy. 

'For years now we’ve been hearing supportive words from ministers, shadow ministers and officials about homeworking and home enterprise in the UK. It's time for action.

'Home-based working also brings with it challenges that are being largely unmet, among them little to no practical business support and limited understanding of how small and self-employed businesses function and interact.

The manifesto is being formally launched in the media on Easter Weekend.

Organisations wishing to add their support can contact the campaign on the website to add their logo.

Visit Home Business Progress.

Download manifesto.

Add your support.