More than a thousand Plymouth businesses have applied for emergency lockdown financial support in less than a week, it has been revealed.
Plymouth City Council only opened the application process for the Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) scheme on Monday, November 16, and by the following Friday 1,070 Plymouth businesses applied for financial support.
The local authority is expecting more than 3,000 businesses to eventually make a claim for cash from the scheme, brought in by the Government for businesses that were ordered to close due to the second coronavirus lockdown.
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With more than half the applications approved it will see at least £804,278 being paid into business bank accounts with a council spokesman saying: “Our team has been working hard to process applications as quickly as possible.
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“We also have a team of staff manning a helpline to offer any additional support needed during the application process and they have taken more than 170 calls this week.
“We expect to receive about 3,000 applications for this grant scheme, which means there are thousands of businesses that haven't yet claimed the financial support available.
“If your business has been legally required to close due to the current national coronavirus restrictions and you pay business rates, you could be eligible for a grant through the LRSG scheme.”
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Businesses are being urged to apply though the Plymouth City Council website .
Eligible businesses can claim the following grants, based on their rateable value:
For properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or under, grants to be £1,334 per 28 days.
For properties with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000, grants to be £2,000 per 28 days.
For properties with a rateable value of £51,000 or over, grants to be £3,000 per 28 days.
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Check the eligibility criteria and find FAQs on the Invest Plymouth website .
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“When you apply, you’ll need to supply certain information to protect against fraudulent claims, including your business rates account number,” she spokesman said. “Sole traders will also be asked to provide their date of birth.
“All businesses will also need to supply their bank details as well as an image of your business bank statement or cheque book if this is your first Covid-19 grant from the council.”
The Council is aiming to make all grant payments within 10 days of application.
Plymouth has also been allocated £5million for a second discretionary grants scheme, known as the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme. If businesses are not eligible for the LRSG scheme they may be able to access support from the ARG scheme instead.