Businesses in England forced to closed during lockdown will be able to claim grants of up to £18,000 to help them reopen.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the “new restart grant” will be provided in April to help businesses reopen.
Announcing the grant in his Budget, he told MPs: “Non-essential retail businesses will open first, so they’ll receive grants of up to £6,000 per premises.
“Hospitality and leisure businesses, including personal care and gyms, will open later, or be more impacted by restrictions when they do, so we’ll give them grants of up to £18,000.
“That’s £5 billion of new grants, on top of the £20 billion we’ve already provided.”
He also said that the the 100% business rates holiday in England will continue from April until June, telling MPs: “For the remaining nine months of the year, business rates will still be discounted by two-thirds, up to a value of £2 million for closed businesses, with a lower cap for those who have been able to stay open.
“A £6 billion tax cut for business.”
The UK government has confirmed that the Restart Grant scheme only applies in England.
