Acknowledging that the second coronavirus lockdown is a ‘big ask’ for local businesses, Bedford Borough Council has confirmed that anyone required to close from today should automatically qualify for government support grants.
Businesses that previously received a business support grant from Bedford Borough Council earlier in the year and are required to close again for this lockdown do not need to get in touch with the Council.
The Council will be paying these support grants automatically where they can and will be in touch with businesses directly if extra information is needed.
More detailed guidance from the Government is needed before payments can be made, but businesses required to close due to the new national restrictions will be eligible for the following:
- For properties with a rateable value of £15k or under, grants to be £1,334 per month, or £667 per two weeks
- For properties with a rateable value of between £15k-£51k grants to be £2,000 per month, or £1,000 per two weeks
- For properties with a rateable value of £51k or over grants to be £3,000 per month, or £1,500 per two weeks
Cllr Michael Headley, Portfolio Holder for Finance said, “Where we know that a business is eligible and we have all the information, we will be issuing these grants automatically so that this much-needed funding is with local businesses as quickly as possible.
“We will be working to reach out to businesses where we need any further information so that as many local businesses as possible benefit from this national support.
“We are waiting to hear detail from the Government on discretionary funding to help businesses that may slip through the gaps of this first wave of support funding.
“We know that this second lockdown is a really big ask, and the Government has to provide support to those businesses being asked to close again in Bedford Borough and across the country.”
As and when it is received, further information about discretionary grants and other business support will be available on www.bedford.gov.uk/bsg.
