More of South Yorkshire’s businesses are now eligible for financial support to get through the COVID pandemic, with a new phase of grants being targeted at some of those not previously eligible for national funding.
As part of more than £30m of discretionary grants secured by Sheffield City Region following agreement with Government when the region entered the very high (tier 3) local alert level in October, South Yorkshire’s councils will be supporting thousands more businesses.
This round of grant support is targeted towards businesses that largely rely on the hospitality, accommodation, leisure and entertainment sectors for their trade on a business-to-business basis and have therefore suffered a significant loss of trade due to COVID restrictions. There will be a three-week grant application window to manage the process of distributing this support and businesses should check their Local Authority’s website to confirm eligibility and apply for support.
Many businesses have been severely impacted, such as travel agents impacted by international restrictions, caterers unable to service events and celebrations, or companies providing and maintaining gym equipment who have seen a drop in trade due to leisure centre closures.
Sheffield City Region’s Mayor, Dan Jarvis, said: “We are working incredibly hard with South Yorkshire’s council leaders to distribute the £30m secured from Government negotiations. Together we have designed a scheme which will support as many people and businesses as possible to ease the hardship they are facing as a result of the local and national restrictions.
“As COVID continues to have a catastrophic effect on businesses across the region, we are pleased the next phase will help more in the supply chain, who have previously slipped through the cracks of national schemes, making every pound count.
“We know many businesses continue to face huge challenges, despite the latest phase of local support, which is why I continue to press Ministers to invest in South Yorkshire’s economic renewal through our Renewal Action Plan, to ensure the people and businesses of South Yorkshire can recover, grow and thrive following the pandemic.”
Sheffield City Region’s Local Enterprise Partnership Chair, James Muir, said: “The Mayor and the LEP have been working together to support South Yorkshire’s economy during the headwinds caused by COVID. It’s incredibly important to us to support our region’s businesses as much as possible. It’s been evident throughout the pandemic the integral role they play in our communities and to our local economy, so we’re glad to provide them with some respite and much needed financial support. I encourage any business within the South Yorkshire supply chain of the affected sectors to confirm their eligibility online and apply.”
To be eligible, businesses must provide evidence show that they:
- Have fixed property costs, either through rateable or rental value.
- Are located in South Yorkshire and part of the region’s supply chain
- Were open and trading on 13thOctober
- Have experienced significant loss of trade due to COVID restrictions, with at least 50% of their trade with the hospitality, accommodation, leisure and entertainment sectors
- Have not benefitted from other local or national support grants
- Are not a national company
These grants are one-off, discretionary payments, and businesses should check their Local Authority’s website, to confirm their eligibility. Updates will be provided when applications will start being accepted, and this may vary for each Local Authority. If any business needs assistance navigating the support available, they can contact the Sheffield City Region Growth Hub via www.scrgrowthhub.co.uk/covid-19-support-for-businesses/
Local authority websites will carry more details about how and when to apply for grants