Posted: 05 / 01 / 2021
The new £594 million discretionary fund is intended to support those businesses impacted by the latest lockdown, but that are not eligible for the retail, hospitality and leisure top-up grants described here.
Is my business eligible?
These may be businesses such as home-based operators, who do not pay business rates and are therefore not eligible for the top-up grants. These funds may also be available to businesses who do not have to shut down due to the lockdown, but have been severely hampered in operation.
A key difference between these funds and the top-up grants is that they are given at the discretion of councils – meaning councils get to decide which businesses are allocated grants and how much they are allocated.
How do I apply?
As with the top-up grant above, all businesses should apply to their local authority to ask for support.
What other Government support is currently being offered to businesses to get through this lockdown?
- The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) is still in place until April
- The 100% business rates relief measure is in place until March 31.
- Hospitality businesses also have VAT relief measures until the end of March.
- The new one-off grants also come in addition to grants worth up to £3,000 for closed businesses, and up to £2,100 per month for impacted businesses once they reopen, again available through Local Authorities.