SMALL and micro-businesses across Leicester which were forced to close during the city’s extended lockdown can apply for financial help under a new grant scheme.
Leicester City Council has received £2.6million from the Government, to enable non-repayable grants to be paid to businesses which had to close or delay re-opening due to the local lockdown. It can be used towards fixed property costs such as rents or business mortgages.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby had called on the Government to allow £10m of money not required for the Small Business Grant scheme and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme to be used to help city businesses.
Instead the Government made available a total of £3m to be shared between Oadby and Wigston, which received £400,000, and the city which received £2.6m.
The application process opens on August 13 and will close on August 28.
Applications are invited from small and micro-businesses such as non-essential retail, hospitality and leisure businesses.
The amount of each grant will depend on the rateable value of the business premises and the number of eligible applications to share the funding available.
This scheme follows the Small Business Grant scheme, Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme, and the Local Discretionary Grant scheme. Businesses which received one of these grants can still apply for an extended lockdown grant. There is no upper limit on the rateable value of business premises for the extended lockdown grant.
Details of all coronavirus-related help for businesses, including all the funding schemes, is available at Leicester City Council's website at: www.leicester.gov.uk/coronavirus
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