Covid-19 Government Assistance

A full range of business support measures have been made available to UK businesses due to the COVID pandemic.

We thought it would be useful to recap what is available to make sure that all areas of support have been identified.  We recommend that as a first step businesses complete the new business “support finder” tool to help do this.  The tool  can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder

Recent changes

The most recent update (5th January 2021 is that businesses that have been required to close due to national restrictions imposed by government as of 5 January 2021 may be eligible for a one-off grant of up to £9,000.

The one-off top-ups will be granted to closed businesses as follows:

• £4,000 for businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or under
• £6,000 for businesses with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000
• £9,000 for businesses with a rateable value of over £51,000

A discretionary fund will also be made available via local authorities to support other impacted businesses.

If your business has been mandated to close from 5 January 2021 and you have already received a National Lockdown Business Support Grant for the period between 5 November and 2 December, please be advised you do not need to apply for further funding. Eligible businesses will automatically receive a payment under the new National Lockdown Business Support Grant Scheme and will receive an email advising you of the amount and date it will be paid.

Details are here

Previous Support by area

Paying your employees

• Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
• Kickstart Scheme grant: 30 or more job placements
• Kickstart Scheme grant: 29 or less job placements

Paying sick pay

• You can claim back Statutory Sick Pay paid to employees due to coronavirus 

Paying tax

• VAT deferred due to coronavirus 
• Self Assessment payment on account can be deferred
• Time to Pay arrangements if you cannot pay your tax bill on time

Business rates relief

• Retail, hospitality or leisure businesses are eligible for business rates relief due to coronavirus 
• Nurseries are eligible for business rate relief due to coronavirus

Support for the self-employed

• Grants are available through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme

Support for small and medium-sized businesses

• Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme
• Coronavirus Future Fund
• Coronavirus Bounce Back Loan

Support for large businesses
UK-wide

• Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme
• COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility

Support for businesses affected by coronavirus restrictions

•  Coronavirus grant due to national restrictions (for closed businesses)
• Nightclub, dance hall or adult entertainment business coronavirus grant due to national restrictions
• Coronavirus Local Restrictions Support Grant (for open businesses)
• Coronavirus Local Restrictions Support Grant (for closed businesses)
• Coronavirus Additional Restrictions Grant
• Christmas Support Payment for wet-led pubs