Since March 2020, Chelmsford City Council has paid £52 million in grants to businesses affected by the coronavirus restrictions. Local businesses in need of support have benefited from the funding.
What’s a business grant?
A grant is money which doesn’t need to be re-paid. However, you will need to tell the tax office (HMRC) about any grants you have received in your tax return. The money for the coronavirus business grants comes from the government. The council has been responsible for paying the grants to eligible businesses.
How to apply
Businesses need to meet criteria to be eligible for the available grants. You can find out what grants are available on the business section of the council website.
When does the money run out?
When the money will run out is dependent on how many people apply. The current funding for discretionary grants is enough to make payments to existing applicants until 15 March 2021. New funding may come from the Government, so any businesses that haven’t yet applied and want to should submit an application as soon as possible so they can share in any new funding that becomes available. If businesses have already applied for a grant, they don’t need to apply again. The council will work out which grants a business is eligible for. The council will add any government announcements to the website.
More business support
Chelmsford City Council handles the grants and business rate relief but there’s a range of other support provided by the government. The council can help signpost businesses to other forms of financial help. There are also other local business support contacts that can give advice to businesses.