An urgent call is being issued to eligible businesses across Barrow that have not yet applied for COVID-19 grant funding.
The closing deadline of May 31 now looms for the Local Restrictions Support Grant which has so far distributed more than £6m to more than 500 firms in the borough.
The scheme is for rate-paying businesses operating in the non-essential retail sector including personal care, as well as within hospitality and accommodation, leisure and sport and entertainment venues.
These businesses were forced to close during the national lockdown between February 16 and March 31 this year.
In addition, eligible first-time applicants may also be entitled to claim a one-off Restart Grant which aims to help cover the costs of reopening after lockdown. The deadline for this scheme is June 30.
Ann Thomson, the leader of Barrow Borough Council, said: “Businesses across the borough have endured extremely difficult economic conditions over the last year because of the coronavirus outbreak.
“Most of our eligible businesses in the borough have already received grants from both of these schemes but there may still be a small number that haven’t applied yet.
“To these businesses we would say please check the criteria and get in contact with our team as soon as possible. This is money that doesn’t have to be paid back – it’s there to help and you should apply if you haven’t already.”
COVID support grant schemes have been administered by Barrow Borough Council according to criteria set by the government.
The Local Restrictions Support Grant is available in the following tiers:
- £2,096 for businesses/organisations with a rateable value of £15,000 or under on the first day of the local restrictions
- £3,143 for businesses/organisations with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on the first day of the local restrictions
- £4,714 for businesses/organisations with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or above on the first day of the local restrictions
An application form can be downloaded here: https://www.barrowbc.gov.uk/coronavirus/financial-support-for-business-and-residents/local-restrictions-support-grant/
It should be emailed back to: LRSG@barrowbc.gov.uk.
The Restart Grant is available for non essential retail businesses in the following tiers:
- £2,667 for businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or under on April 1, 2021
- £4,000 for businesses with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on Aoril 1, 2021
- £6,000 for businesses with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or over on April 1, 2021
The Restart Grant is available for hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym business premises in the following tiers:
- £8,000 for businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or under on April 1, 2021
- £12,000 for businesses with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on April 1, 2021
- £18,000 for businesses with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or over on April 1, 2021
An application form can be downloaded here:https://www.barrowbc.gov.uk/coronavirus/financial-support-for-business-and-residents/restart-grants/
It should be emailed back to: restartgrants@barrowbc.gov.uk.
