Small- and medium-sized businesses are set to benefit from a new service helping to protect their copywright, trademarks and designs.

The government has confirmed that a small claims service will be introduced at the Patents County Court (PCC) next year, evening the playing field some way for smaller players working in competitive markets.

Currently, many small firms are put off enforcing their intellectual property rights by high costs. The new process wil limit fixed costs and allow damages of up to £5,000 per case. The Intellectual Property Office estimates that around 150 businesses will benefit from the service every year.

"This is great news for small- and medium-sized businesses as it will give them the confidence to stand up and protect their intellectual property rights," said minister for intellectual property Baroness Wilcox. "A small claims process means businesses will not have to fight through lengthy court battles instead of concentrating on their own business.

"Businesses know how important it is to protect their rights and have been calling for changes to be made to the system. We hope to have the system in place by this time next year."

The move is the result of a recommendation made in the Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property and Growth in May this year.

For a full Business Sense rundown on how to protect your intellectual property, click here. For more guidance, visit NatWest.