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New Grants Available for Businesses Affected By Local Lockdowns

New Grants Available for Businesses Affected By Local Lockdowns
11 September 2020
 

Ministers have announced that businesses in England that are required to shut because of local interventions will now be able to claim up to £1,500 per property every three weeks.

The new funding is intended to help businesses affected by localised COVID-19 lockdowns, which has affected places such as Bolton, Blackburn, Leicester and Luton. 

The largest businesses will receive £1,500 every three weeks they are required to close. Smaller businesses will receive £1,000.

To be eligible for the grant, a business must have been required to close due to local COVID-19 restrictions, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Steve Barclay to MPs.

 

Businesses Closed at National Level not Eligible 

 

Any businesses still closed at a national level (e.g. nightclubs), will not be eligible for the scheme.

Payments are triggered by a national decision to close businesses in a high incidence area. Each payment will be made for a 3 week lockdown period. Each new 3 week lockdown period triggers an additional payment.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: 

“No business should be punished for doing the right thing, which is why today’s package will offer additional breathing space for businesses that have had to temporarily close to control the virus.”

Responding to the announcement, The Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSB) National Chairman Mike Cherry said:

“Though a lot of firms have now been able to reopen, thousands are still impacted by local lockdowns.

That’s why this intervention is so critical - throwing a much needed additional financial lifeline to those most harmed.”

Picture: A photograph of a sign that says "Sorry we're closed."

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 11 September 2020

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