LCCI urge small businesses to check grants eligibility

With the government bringing coronavirus business grants funds to a close on Friday, 28 August, LCCI are urging small businesses in London to check if they are eligible to apply.

Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, wrote to councils to notify them that “given the schemes’ [Small Business Grants Fund, and Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Grants Fund] success, in that over 92% of eligible businesses have received grants, the Chancellor and I have taken the decision that all three grant schemes, including the Discretionary Fund, should close by Friday 28 August.

The Chancellor and I have also agreed that once the final payments have been made on all schemes it will be necessary for local authorities to return any unspent funds to BEIS.”

Responding to there being a month until closure of the programme, LCCI CEO Richard Burge said, “Government and councils responded swiftly to the covid crisis by making grant funds available to local business.

“But government have announced that this support will end on 28 August, as the large majority of eligible businesses have now claimed.  However, there are still funds unclaimed at present, so I urge London’s small businesses to check their local council website to see if they are eligible for support.”