Business grants data published
Data published for grant schemes providing urgent support to business through national coronavirus restrictions.
The government has published its latest round of business grants data today (24 February), showing the government funding delivered to each council in England to support their local businesses.
Since August last year, the government has provided councils with £7.8 billion for businesses who have needed support the most, through Local Restrictions Support Grants, Christmas Support Payments and Additional Restrictions Grants, targeting those who were required to close or had severe restrictions in place during the pandemic.
Local authorities are responsible for administering the various grants, including deciding which businesses and activities to support in their area through the discretionary schemes as well.
Some local authorities have decided on eligibility criteria and application processes quickly, while others have taken longer to do so. The government has issued clear guidance to local authorities and is working tirelessly with them to ensure that funds are paid out as quickly as possible to those that need it.
This funding is part of one of the most comprehensive and generous packages of business support in the world totalling £280 billion, including grants of up to £4,500 every 6 weeks to closed businesses, a one-off payment of up to £9,000 to closed businesses for the current period of national lockdown, VAT relief, various loan schemes, a business rates holiday, as well as the extended furlough scheme.
Small Business Minister Paul Scully said:
Throughout this crisis, we have provided generous support to as many businesses as we can to help see them through these tough times.
I know from speaking to businesses just how much they have benefited from government grants, which have enabled them to cover their fixed costs, adapt and plan to build back better from the pandemic.
We are working closely with council leaders across England to ensure that this much-needed support gets to hard-pressed businesses as soon as possible.
At the upcoming Budget, the government will outline further detail on economic support to protect jobs and livelihoods across the UK. That has been our priority throughout the past year and it will be the priority for the year to come.