A free guide called 'In The Know' shows how to discover what UK business grants are available for start-up, H and S responsibilities and chasing bad business debts.

How do you discover what business grants are available for your start-up company? Where do you get advice on your health and safety responsibilities towards your employees? And who do you turn to for help if your customers will not pay their bills?

These are just some of the important questions that most businesses will face at some point - but very few company owners will have all the answers.

Now the solutions to these problems and many more can be found in a free guide called In The Know, produced by global credit insurer, Atradius.

In The Know is designed to show firms how they can use business intelligence to help them grow and become more profitable.

It focuses on the three key areas of finance, sales and legal responsibilities, offering an overview of each topic plus tips on where to find more detailed advice.

Atradius believes that the guide will be invaluable for any size of organisation, from a start up company to a firm looking to expand or improve its business processes.

Will Clark, Atradius' regional director for UK and Ireland, NAFTA and Australasia, explains: 'Successful organisations are started by people with good ideas and expertise in a particular area.

But even the smartest bosses don't know everything about being in business, and they are often too busy running a thriving company to be able to research every aspect of commerce in detail.' Clark adds: 'However, it is essential to get to grips with the important issues that can either help you develop your business, such as funding and finding new customers, or, which could cause you headaches if you are not up to speed, like public liability or employee relations.

'There is lots of valuable information freely available and the Atradius In The Know guide will help firms find the advice and support they need.

It has been compiled by our own business experts from the wealth of data that Atradius has its fingertips - and the guide is completely free.' In The Know covers three main areas of business: * Finance - offering tips and resources on topics including finding grants and other funding, improving your cash flow and protecting your business against debt.

* Sales - which looks at creating a business plan, marketing and promotions for your business, finding news customers and increasing your sales.

* Legal Responsibilities - with tips on where to go to get legal advice, training for you and your staff, as well as improving employee relations.

Atradius credit insurance not only covers customers for up to 90 per cent of any bad debt, it also carries out initial credit checks on new customers and provides market intelligence on over 45 million individual businesses, industry sectors and markets around the world, with offices in 40 countries providing direct local experience and knowledge.

Credit insurance is ideal for any size of business, from multi-nationals through to SMEs and start-up businesses, and policies are available to cover trading risks in the UK and internationally.

Atradius also provides debt collection services in the UK and overseas, securing repayment in the most efficient and effective way possible.