Merseyside is at the fore of over 16,000 start-ups in the North West.
Between Liverpool and Wirral, more than 2,500 new businesses have opened with the support of a Jobseekers’ start-up fund grant.
Through the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA), new start-up businesses can obtain grants from Jobseekers to get their businesses off the ground.
Successful applicants will be provided with a business mentor, financial support up to six months and potentially apply for a loan worth up to £25,000 to help the start-up costs.
The latest NEA figures show that Liverpool was home to 1,760 new businesses while the Wirral contributed a similarly high number with 1,170.
The North West also had the highest number of businesses supported by the NEA out of all the other regions across the UK.
Employment minister Damian Hinds said: “As these latest figures show, thousands of people across the North West have great business ideas, and are taking the steps to turn them into a reality.
“The NEA provides the right mix of expert, tailored advice and support to people of all backgrounds which can be invaluable in the early days of starting a business.”
For the latest information regarding the New Enterprise Allowance, visit gov.uk.