New discretionary lockdown business grants now available

Friday, 29 January 2021 16:38

City of Wolverhampton businesses not eligible for the Government’s national Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) under the current lockdown can now apply for discretionary grant schemes.

This includes an additional one-off payment of up to £9,000 and the latest discretionary Additional Restrictions Grants (ARGs).

They are aimed at supporting closed businesses and businesses that are open but have been significantly affected due to the current restrictions.

Eligibility criteria and the amount of grant awarded for the discretionary one-off payment and ARGs will be based primarily on the fixed costs of the business. Rateable businesses not eligible for Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) can also apply for an ARG.

Councillor Stephen Simkins, Cabinet Member for City Economy, said: “These new grants could provide a lifeline to small businesses in Wolverhampton that have been unable to access other Government grants.

“I am urging city businesses to head to the business grants webpage and find out exactly what funding is available to them at this critical time.

“As a council, we have ensured thousands of eligible businesses have had quick access to millions of pounds of vital funding to help them through this most difficult time.

“We will ensure these grants get allocated swiftly and that no business is left behind as our city looks to recover from the financial impact of Covid-19.”

These grants are in addition to existing Additional Restrictions Grants and Local Restrictions Support Grants schemes established since November 2020, which continue to receive applications.

Please visit www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/businessgrants to check your eligibility for the grants and find out how to access the online application process.

If you need help with grant applications or have a general query, you can get in touch with us by emailing business.grants@wolverhampton.gov.uk or calling the business support phoneline on 01902 290242 between 9am and 5pm from Monday to Thursday or from 9am to 4.30pm on Fridays. We are experiencing extremely high levels of demand and would urge businesses to remain patient.

All of the grants are subject to State Aid rules and are treated as taxable income.

The latest Government information on business grants and support can be viewed at https://bit.ly/32H66MX

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