New Local Restrictions Support Grant scheme opens for applications

Wiltshire Council has launched its Local Restrictions Support Grant scheme after receiving over £7 million of Government funding to support local businesses.

This new scheme is aimed at those businesses required to close due to the national restrictions which started on 5 November 2020. 

One-off grants will be awarded to eligible businesses to support them during the four-week closure and help them with the ongoing challenges presented by coronavirus. Eligible businesses include those

• with properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or under will receive grants of £1,334
• with properties with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000 will receive grants of £2,000
• with properties with a rateable value of £51,000 or over will receive grants of £3,000

Cllr Philip Whitehead, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: "We are pleased to be launching this new scheme to help more businesses in the county access much-needed financial support. We hope this will help provide some breathing space until they can reopen their business again on 2 December.

"I would strongly encourage businesses to complete the online application form and provide all the necessary information to avoid any delays with assessing your application.

"We have mobilised a team of over 40 members of staff, the majority of whom have been redeployed from other roles within the council, to administer these grants and are aiming to make the first payments next week."

Wiltshire Council has also been awarded a further £10 million for the Additional Restrictions Grant. This discretionary grant scheme will support those businesses required to close or have been severely affected by the national restrictions, but which do not pay business rates.

Philip Whitehead continued: "We are working up the detail of how to award the money to businesses in Wiltshire who are most in need of financial support and will publish these details and launch this additional scheme shortly.

"We appreciate the enormous stress businesses are under and we will continue to play our part to ensure our businesses and local economy are supported long-term."

Full guidance for applications and the online application form for the Local Restrictions Support Grant scheme is available at: https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/business-advice-support-covid19-grants