Businesses adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic will receive fresh support from the new £5 billion Restart Grants scheme launching on 1st April as the government calls on Councils to get funds to business owners as soon as possible.
Businesses in England in the non-essential retail sector will be eligible for one-off grants of up to £6,000, while businesses in the hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym sectors, which are reopening later, will be eligible for one-off grants of up to £18,000. The £5 billion of government funding available through the Restart Grants scheme will be delivered by local authorities. This is coupled with £425 million of top-up funding for the ongoing Additional Restrictions Grant scheme for councils to distribute to businesses in particularly urgent need of additional support – which could also be businesses who don’t necessarily pay business rates like tour operators, B&Bs, caterers, freelancers and wedding service providers.
While the Government is urging Local Authorities to act fast to distribute the funding, a check on the Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) website today suggests the full details of the restart scheme have not yet been published by the government – which obviously makes it difficult for Councils to administer it! When further guidance is available, HBC will update the website accordingly and launch the scheme as soon as possible in April. Best to keep an eye on the HBC website for updates as the scheme unfolds.