Small recruitment firms will now have free access to thousands of lower value government contracts on the government’s website www.supply2.gov.uk.

The site, which advertises thousands of public sector procurement opportunities worth up to £100,000, previously charged to search the site.

Business minister Shriti Vadera says: “Small businesses are facing significant pressure in this downturn and new contracts are essential for their return to growth. “We want to support small businesses by making it easier to access the thousands of government procurement opportunities that are directly relevant to them.”