BUSINESS NEWS

Businesses in England still need to claim £2bn in grants

Businesses in England still need to claim £2bn in grants
Dan Martin
Dan MartinFreelance content creator & event hostDan Martin Content & Events

Posted: Wed 3rd Jun 2020

Around £2bn in government retail and hospitality grants have yet to be claimed in England.

Latest figures show that around £10bn in grants have been given out to businesses in England that pay business rates or are eligible for business rates relief. With a total funding pot of £12.3bn that means around £2bn is still to be claimed.

All businesses in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief and Rural Rates Relief are eligible for a £10,000 grant, while businesses in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000 can get a £25,000 grant

The government initially said local authories would get in touch with businesses eligible for the grants, but most councils require businesses to fill in an online form as they don't hold details for all companies.

Letters have also been sent to companies but because many properties are closed due to the lockdown, business owners haven't received the letters.

Small business minister Paul Scully has spoken to local media across England to try and encourage businesses to apply. In Sheffield for example £83m has been handed out but £30m is still available.

He told The Star newspaper that some businesses may not have heard about the schemes or wrongly believe the money is a loan rather than a grant. "We want Sheffield to thrive and bounce back. We are keen to give them cashflow now," Scully said.

Similarly, in Northamptonshire £113m has been provided with £20m remaining.

"We are asking people to come forward and make themselves known to their local authority," Scully told the Northamptonshire Telegraph. "We want to make sure we get the message out to every business that this is a grant, not a loan and will not have to be paid back.

"What we are finding is that there are still businesses coming forward, and this appeal from me is an attempt to make sure businesses get the financial support they need."

Business owners who have not been contacted by their local council are encouraged to find the relevant online form to access the grants.

Click here for a spreadsheet of council website links for England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland.

The latest coronavirus support information

We are keeping you updated on the latest information on how to access the government's coronavirus business support here. You can also find advice and ask a question on Enterprise Nation's coronavirus business advice hub. Follow Enterprise Nation on Twitter too for updates.

Dan Martin
Dan MartinFreelance content creator & event hostDan Martin Content & Events
I'm a freelance content creator and event host who helps small businesses and the organisations that support them. I have 18 years of experience as a small business journalist having interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs from billionaires like Sir Richard Branson to the founders behind brand new start-ups. I've worked for a range of leading small business publications and support groups, most recently as head of content at Enterprise Nation where I was responsible for the prolific output of content on the company's blog and social media. I'm based in Bristol where I run and host regular events with the local small business community and have strong connections to major business organisations in the south west region. In total, I've hosted over 50 events; from intimate meet-ups to conferences with an audience of hundreds including events for international brands like Facebook and Xero. I'm also a big fan of podcasts having hosted Enterprise Nation's Small Business Sessions as well as lots of online events including Facebook Live interviews, webinars and three live web chats from inside 10 Downing Street. With my partner, I co-run Lifestyle District, a lifestyle blog focused on culture, art, theatre and photography. I'm here to help. I'm volunteering free advice calls of up to an hour as part of the Recovery Advice for Business scheme, over the next 6 months. Please get in touch to see how I can help your business. 

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