STRATFORD businesses forced to close due to the pandemic may be eligible for up to seven separate grants.
Stratford District Council is currently administering the different grant schemes from central government as part of its covid-19 support for businesses.
The grants cover any businesses which have been affected from November, through to the current national lockdown.
These include grants for those affected by Tier 3 restrictions, Tier 4 restrictions, a specific grant for pubs and bars that do not serve food, and firms affected more generally by covid restrictions.
In addition, further support was announced by the Chancellor earlier this month where up to £9,000 will be paid to qualifying businesses based on their Rateable Value – something council officers will start to look at next week.
The district council has already paid out £2.2 million to organisations as part of the latest national lockdown, which should reach bank accounts over the weekend or the start of next week.
It has advised businesses do not need to make another, separate grant application if they’ve already applied for a previous grant.
District councillor Jo Barker said: “We know how important these grants are for businesses and we are making every effort to make it as simple as possible for business owners as we receive further guidance and instruction from central government.
“If a business has received a grant from the district council or has already made an application because it was forced to close during a lockdown and it remains closed, that business will not need to make another claim.
“Those businesses will receive further payments as soon as possible without the need for a new form.
“If a business managed to re-open after closure but are providing a reduced level of service, the council will be in touch shortly with advice on how to claim grants.
“We are experiencing extremely high volumes of applications and I can assure you we are making every effort to pay these claims as soon as possible.”
The available grants for businesses in Stratford district are:
– Local Restrictions Support Grant (businesses affected in November/December) – for customer facing businesses forced to close due to andemic restrictions.
– Additional Restrictions Grants (businesses affected during national lockdowns) – for businesses affected in any way by the second lockdown in November and December, and a separate grant for businesses affected by the current lockdown.
– Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open) Scheme (businesses affected by previous Tier 3 restrictions) – for businesses trading before Tier 3 restrictions were introduced. Hospitality and leisure businesses are prioritised.
– Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Scheme (businesses affected by previous Tier 3 restrictions) – for businesses which were forced to close for more than two weeks because of Tier 3 restrictions.
– Tier 4 Restrictions Grant – for businesses affected by Tier 4 restrictions imposed on December 31. Any businesses that previously applied for a Tier 3 grant will not need to apply for this scheme.
– Wet Led Pub Grants (Open) – businesses serving mainly alcohol and not food can apply for a one-off grant of £1,000.
For further details on each of the grants, payment thresholds and how to apply, click here.
