Apply for COVID-19 support grants, businesses urged

Published Monday, 9th November 2020

Council officials in Hartlepool are urging local businesses adversely affected by COVID-19 restrictions to apply online to see if they are eligible for financial assistance.

The Government is giving funding to local authorities to enable them to provide grants to businesses in their areas, and Hartlepool Borough Council is keen to distribute the money as soon as possible.

Councillor Shane Moore, Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “Many local businesses are in a battle for survival and need every bit of help they can get.

“Time is of the essence and we want to ensure that this help gets to businesses meeting the criteria without delay. I would urge businesses who think they qualify for help to fill in the online application form so that we can confirm their eligibility and ensure correct payment.”

The application form is available at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/closedbusinessgrant

More information about the support available and the qualifying criteria can be accessed at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/covid-business-grants Alternatively, email businessrates@hartlepool.gov.uk or call (01429) 284277.

One support scheme, The Local Restrictions Support Grants (closed) scheme, covers businesses required to close, or substantially close, during the period of national restrictions or under Local Covid-19 Alert level ‘Very High’ (Tier 3) restrictions.

These include:

  • Non-essential retail such as clothing and homeware stores, vehicle showrooms (other than for rental), betting shops, tailors, tobacco and vape shops, electronic goods and mobile phone shops, and market stalls selling non-essential goods.
  • Hospitality such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs.
  • Leisure such as leisure centres and gyms, swimming pools, fitness and dance studios, and sports facilities.
  • Entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, amusement arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, skating rinks, go-karting venues and soft play centres.
  • Personal care facilities such as hair, beauty, tanning, nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services.
  • Community centres and halls
  • Places of Worship (apart from for the purposes of independent prayer, and service broadcasting and funerals)

A second grant scheme, the Local Restrictions Support Grants (Open), covers hospitality, accommodation and leisure businesses that were open but severely impacted by Local Covid-19 Alert Level ‘High’ (LCAL 2) restrictions.

This scheme does not operate during the period of national restrictions.

With the exception of accommodation businesses, the businesses covered by this grant scheme are expected to be closed during the national restrictions and therefore will be eligible for the closed grant scheme. If you consider your business to be eligible for this scheme when national restrictions do not apply you must complete the additional declaration on the closed scheme application form. 

The Government is also providing an Additional Restrictions Grant to support the wider business community affected by the pandemic. One-off fixed funding will be provided to the Council to provide support in the current financial year and continued support into 2021/22 if required. A support scheme is currently being developed and further details will be announced shortly.

In addition to the support outlined above, the government has a number of support packages available for businesses. Please go to www.gov.uk for further information.