Wiltshire Council updates on latest COVID business grants

Wiltshire Council is continuing to support businesses around the county through this challenging period and is currently finalising the application process for the latest COVID business support grants.

The grants will be offered in response to the omicron variant, which has had a detrimental effect on many businesses, particularly those in the hospitality and leisure sectors.

Businesses can expect further news on the grants next week (week beginning 17 January), with applications due to open on the council's website soon. As this is a fast-moving situation, people should check the council's website for more information on exactly when the grant applications will open, and should also sign up for the council's business newsletter for up-to-date information.

There will be two types of grant available. The first is the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant (OHLG), a one-off grant of up to £6,000 that is available to rateable businesses only, with the value of grants depending on the business's rateable value. The grant is aimed at businesses in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors, and businesses will need to apply for the funding through the council website when the application window opens.

Also available will be the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG), which is a discretionary fund for businesses that have been severely impacted by the Omicron variant. The council will share more information in the coming weeks on the sectors that this funding will target.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of the council and Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: We know how difficult the past few months have been for Wiltshire businesses - particularly those in the leisure and hospitality industries - on top of all the uncertainty of the past two years.

Our officers are working hard to put the application processes for these two new grants in place, and we will have more information on how businesses can apply - and the information they will need to provide - next week.

We had previously advised businesses they would not need to reapply under the LRSG or Restart Grant schemes, but the change in Government guidance means we will need businesses to apply for this new OHLG funding and provide evidence of their trading.

We'll have more information on the grants next week, so it's really important that businesses sign up to our business newsletter for the latest information.

I'd like to thank all Wiltshire businesses for bearing with us while we put the measures in place to provide these grants to the businesses that need it most. We're focused on doing all we can to help Wiltshire businesses through this difficult time.

The OHLG grant will be worth £2,667 for businesses with a rateable value of under £15,000; £4,000 for businesses with a rateable value of over £15,000 and less than £51,000; and £6,000 for businesses with a rateable value of over £51,000.

To find out more and sign up to the council's business newsletter, businesses should go to: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/business-advice-support-covid19-grants