Small businesses and those operating in retail, leisure and hospitality are eligible for a share of millions of pounds of grant funding, which has yet to be claimed.
District Councils are currently distributing two key Government grants: one for small businesses, and one for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, designed to help them through the COVID-19 crisis.
Local Authorities have been working hard to contact all eligible businesses and have distributed £129.6M in grant funding so far; however, around 32% have yet to take up the offer of funding. As such, all businesses, including those operating holiday lets, are invited to make contact with their local council.
The two grant funds and broad eligibility are as follows:
Small Business Grant Fund
Businesses in England in receipt of either Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief in the business rates system will be eligible for a payment of £10,000.
Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant
Eligible businesses in England in receipt of the Expanded Retail Discount (which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) with a rateable value of less than £51,000 will be eligible for a cash grants of £10,000 or £25,000 per property.
Further details on eligibility can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-business-support-grant-funding-guidance-for-businesses
To find out more about registering for a Government grant with your local council and to ensure that they have the appropriate information to process, visit their website and make contact through:
Jo Lappin, Chair of the Business and Economic Response and Recovery Group (BERRG) and Chief Executive of Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “The Business and Economic Response and Recovery Group welcomes the progress that has been made to pay the Small Business and Retail, Leisure and Hospitality grants to businesses. However, around 5,500 eligible businesses have not taken up the offer of Government funding.
“I have picked up concerns about whether the grant is some form of scam or is money that needs to be repaid. I can confirm that this grant funding is real, available and does not need to be repaid.
“BERRG recognises that this grant money is hugely important to our smaller businesses and those in the retail, leisure and hospitality sector that can no longer trade, and as such we would strongly encourage all eligible businesses to get the funding they deserve. If anybody is unsure as to whether they can claim one of these grants they can contact their local council to check their eligibility. All eligible businesses are entitled to this money and should come forward as soon as possible to claim this.”
