Businesses that provide services in person to customers can now apply for the Local Restrictions Support Grant.
Businesses will be eligible if they provide services in person to customers from their premises, are required to close due to the government’s national lockdown from 5th November until 2nd December and have a Business Rates account.
Waverley Borough Council staff have once again been redeployed to focus resources on making the software and operational changes required to process the grant claims from local businesses.
Under the scheme, businesses can receive between £1,334 and £3,000 for the 28 days. Further information and an application form is available at: www.waverley.gov.uk/lrsgrant
Previous funding rounds have seen the council make payments in excess of £24m to almost 2000 local businesses under the Government’s Small Business Grant; Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant and Local Authority Discretionary Grant schemes, which have now closed.
The Government has also announced an Additional Restrictions Grant, which businesses that do not qualify for a Local Restrictions Support Grant may be eligible for. The council is working to identify which types of businesses will be prioritised for the grant and hopes to have an application process in place within the next two weeks.
Business owners are encouraged to subscribe to the councils business e-newsletter to receive updates on grants, by signing up on the dedicated business website: www.businesswaverley.gov.uk
Councillor Liz Townsend, Waverley Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Parks and Leisure, said: “I’ve spoken to numerous local business owners for whom a grant has really made a huge difference. Often it has enabled them to keep staff employed or given them the breathing space to look at new ways of delivering their products and services.
“A lot of local businesses are now depending on a strong pre-Christmas trading period to help them through the next few months, and I would urge everyone to think about how they can ‘Keep it Local’ not only when looking for gifts but for locally produced food and other services too. More than ever, we need to help to keep local businesses going and to protect the livelihoods of local people.”
Councillor Mark Merryweather, Waverley Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Finance, Assets and Commercial Services, said: “The previous Government grants helped many businesses, but there are many others that didn’t qualify for them. We’re now working to ensure that we can verify applications and make payments as quickly as possible under this new Additional Restrictions Grant. Many businesses in the borough will still face a very uncertain financial situation. We’re incredibly proud of our officers who’ve been redeployed to process the huge number of claims and inquiries that we’re receiving.”
