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New grant scheme to support open businesses now live

alley way lined with shops

Sheffield City Council will make one off payments of between £1400 and £3150 to businesses that can stay open under the 5th January 2021 national lockdown, providing in-person services to customers.

This scheme is designed to support local shops and businesses that rely on passing trade that has fallen off because of restrictions, such as independent food retailers, market stalls, laundrettes, some medical services, and takeaways who can show that they have lost trade due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The grants acknowledge loss of trade and costs associated with staying open at a time where there is a lack of footfall on the high street and reduced consumer confidence in visiting businesses that can remain open to the public. Grants are for rate-paying and non-rate-paying businesses with fixed property costs.

The new scheme will give much needed support for businesses who can demonstrate a significant loss of custom and therefore income (known as the loss of trade test) because of current or previous national lockdowns but have been unable to qualify for any of the forced closure schemes.

Grants will be provided based on one grant per eligible property and applicants have until the end of March 2021 to apply. Applications can be made on the Sheffield City Council website, here: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/openbusinessgrant

Councillor Mazher Iqbal, Cabinet Member for Business and Investment at Sheffield City Council said:

‘We know that our high streets have really been suffering from a lack of footfall during the pandemic, whether that’s due to offices being empty or because of the requirements of many business to close. The stay at home message in lockdown has made things even harder for lots of those businesses who can remain open and provide essential goods and services for the people of Sheffield. We are pleased that we now have a grant scheme that can support those businesses where they are experiencing a significant loss of custom and therefore income through no fault of their own. I’d like to encourage all of these businesses to check the eligibility criteria and apply now.”

Businesses who have remained open in the hospitality, accommodation, leisure and entertainment supply chain should check eligibility for the Supply Chain grant here.

For support and advice on accessing these grants, please contact Business Sheffield on telephone 0114 224 5000 or  email businesssheffield@sheffield.gov.uk.

Businesses wishing to stay informed with the latest updates should sign up to Sheffield City Council’s email alert service here and follow Business Sheffield and Sheffield City Council’s social media channels.