Owners of small businesses are pressing the Government for help to stay afloat.

Members of the East Sussex branch of the Federation of Small Business (FSB) have written a series of proposals designed to help them through what they predict could be a difficult year.

Ken Stevens is regional organiser of the FSB, based in Polegate, near Eastbourne.

He said the main concern of shop owners was the threat of rising business rates.

Jon Murrell, owner of Polegate Photographic, based in High Street, agreed.

He said: "The increase of national insurance (NI) is not something we are looking forward to. Business rates also seem to be quite high. It's something we struggle with.

"We would like to see an increase the VAT threshold. At the moment it's £54,000. You think you're doing all right and then you get this VAT bill."

Mr Murrell said smaller businesses also faced the problem of larger shops offering services such as photo development, pharmacies and post offices.

Nationally, the FSB has sent the proposals to various ministers under the title A Small Business Action Plan for 2003.

The document lobbies ministers to keep the pound and draws concern to the levels of NI contributions.

John Walker, policy chairman for the FSB, said: "The FSB is sending the action plan to the Government because it will provide Britain's small business community with the right environment in which to survive in what we believe will be a difficult trading year."