The new Green Grants Machine report surveyed more than 150 local and regional schemes, the Green Grants Machine (www.greengrantsmachine.co.uk) discovered that businesses in the East of England, the North East and London have access to less than half as many environmental initiatives as businesses in the best represented region - the East Midlands which is leading the way with 25.

Businesses in the North West and the South East also each currently have access to a creditable 20 separate local and regional schemes.

Rank Region
1 East Midlands
2 North West
3 South East
4 West Midlands
5 Yorkshire
6 South West
7 North East
8 London
9 East of England

For Green Grants Machine, Jeremy Phillips said: "Our study is a raw indication of how easy or difficult it should be for businesses to access local and regional environmental funding schemes.

“Environmental schemes are very important. The more funding schemes there are in any given area - the easier it should be for businesses to secure money to help them reduce fuel and energy costs, as well as recycle waste efficiently.

“Our study has shown that the East Midlands is putting the environment at the centre of business support through regional funds such as their Resource Efficiency Campaign.

"The Green Grants Machine is currently the country's most comprehensive free environmental funding website - and, worryingly, our information reveals that some areas might be getting short changed."

In addition to 157 regional and local funding schemes The Green Grants Machine also features a further 97 national, UK or EU environmental initiatives which English businesses can apply for.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have access to 40, 23, and 4 regional and local environmental schemes respectively - as well as 70 UK and EU schemes.