Grants for previously exempt businesses

Over the last year we have raised concerns that people working from home or not able to get grants for other reasons have been struggling.

I’m please to say that we have been listened to and the County Council has approved a new scheme to provide those who have missed out with some additonal grant funding from the money provided by government:

The new scheme will offer support for mobile and home-based businesses, that operate in the hospitality, accommodation and leisure sectors or its supply chain, or those providing in person or face to face services, which have been significantly impacted by the restrictions and have fixed monthly business costs.

As part of the application process businesses will be asked to:

·            Demonstrate fixed business-related costs of at least £100 a month, these must be integral to the running of their business and does not include personal salary costs or rent / mortgage costs;

·            Evidence that the business provides the majority of the applicant’s income (over 50%);

·            Demonstrate that they have been severely impacted by local and/or national restrictions;

·            Evidence they were trading on 18 September 2020; and

·            Demonstrate that they have not received or are eligible for a previous grant payment from the council.

The scheme provides for the following level of support as a one off payment:

·                £100 to £200 fixed costs per month, they would receive a £500 one off payment

·                £200 to £400 fixed costs per month, they would receive a £1,000 one off payment

·                Fixed costs of more than £400 per month, they would receive a £2,500 one off payment

Our website has been updated with a holding statement to reflect these changes and full details on eligibility and how to apply will be available on there by Friday 26 March, accessible via this link: http://www.durham.gov.uk/covid19businessgrants. There will be an online application process for applicants to submit details to support their application in line with the requirements set out above.

We will be reviewing the scheme take up and funding on 12 April 2021, in line with the first key milestone in relation to restrictions for businesses starting to be lifted.

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