BUSINESS

Council leaders welcome £4.6bn lockdown grants to support businesses

Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England are to receive a one-off grant worth up to £9,000 to support them during the lockdown, chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced.

Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England are to receive a one-off grant worth up to £9,000 to support them during the lockdown, chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced.

The funding commitment follows Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement last night that these businesses will be closed until at least February half-term in order to help control coronavirus.

A further £594m is also being made available for local authorities and the devolved administrations to support other businesses not eligible for the grants that might be affected by the restrictions.

Chair of the Local Government Association's resources board, Cllr Richard Watts, welcomed the grants but said councils needed more details on how the schemes would work.

He added that the £594m should be kept under review to ensure it is enough to meet demand for support.

BUSINESS

Goodbye to all that

By Martin Ford | 20 December 2024

Ann McGauran and Martin Ford take a look back at the highs and lows of a pacy and action-packed year for local government.

BUSINESS

Let the funding battle commence

By Paul Marinko | 02 December 2024

The Government’s latest policy statement signals its intent to address the sector’s funding imbalance and councils are beginning to sense who will be the win...

BUSINESS

Splits emerge as Government targets deprivation

By Paul Marinko | 28 November 2024

Local government’s response to Labour’s funding policy statement has revealed clear splits on how a fair system will be achieved.

BUSINESS

Budget: Chancellor promises to permanently lower business rates

By Ann McGauran | 30 October 2024

The chancellor prioritised delivering permanently lower business rates from 2026/27 in the Budget by lowering multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisur...

Popular articles by William Eichler