By Geoff Adams-Spink Age & disability correspondent, BBC News website

People like Linda Boddington could get much-needed advice

Disability charity Leonard Cheshire and Barclays Bank have launched a �3m enterprise fund to help disabled people wanting to start a business.

The fund will assist 600 individuals over a three-year period.

Successful applicants will get advice from Barclays enabling them to produce a business plan before launching their new ideas.

The first project is being launched in London, and will operate in 27 cities around the UK by the end of next year.

Ready to Start, as the project is being called, is being backed by Martha Lane Fox who co-founded online travel business Lastminute.com in the 1990s.

"I have always been passionate about providing people from all backgrounds with the opportunity to start a business," she said.

Ms Fox was temporarily disabled following an almost-fatal car crash three years ago.

Leonard Cheshire says that about half of disabled people of working age in the UK are not employed.

For a large number of them, setting up their own business is the best way to be financially independent and to have a flexible working environment.

The training provided will cover accounting, marketing and developing a business plan.

There will also be on-going support from a Barclays "buddy".

Barclays head of community relations Kirstie Robbie said the initiative would help to make a "positive, significant and lasting difference to the lives of some of the most disadvantaged people in our community".

"Rather than simply providing a large cheque, we are also able to utilise the skills and experience of our staff and make a real impact on the lives of hundreds of potential entrepreneurs," she said.

Fluctuating condition

Ready to Start should help people like Linda Boddington from Portsmouth who had to give up work because of a mobility impairment.

Despite the challenges I have built up something that is beautiful Linda Boddington

For the past nine years she has been running a soft furnishings business.

But because her condition fluctuates, she is not always able to work a full day.

"On a good day I will put six hours in, but sometimes I can only manage as little as two," she said.

"Despite the challenges I have built up something that is beautiful - I now have a business account, employ an accountant to oversee my finances and have a business manager at the bank."

In addition to training and on-going support, the successful Ready to Start entrepreneurs will get a free, refurbished computer and an internet connection.

Initiatives like Ready to Start will be welcomed by the government which wants to reduce the number of people claiming incapacity benefit.

Secretary of state for Work and Pensions, John Hutton, said a key element of the government's strategy was about ensuring equality of opportunity in employment for disabled people.

"Everyone should have the right to decide what they want to do as a career, including setting up and owning their own business," he said.