Business covid support grants now available - here's how you can apply

Sunderland businesses hit hardest by the Omicron coronavirus variant can now apply for new government support grants.
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Sunderland City Council is in charge of distributing one-off grants of up to £6,000 to eligible hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses.

But the authority’s leader has hit out at the funding level allocated to the city to help businesses in other sectors.

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Sunderland has been allocated £260,512 in Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) funding, which is in place to support other businesses impacted by Omicron – such as gyms and travel agents and firms in the hospitality and leisure sectors supply chain.

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Businesses are now able to apply for one-off grants from the ARG scheme of up to £2,667, which will be distributed by the council once all applications have been reviewed for eligibility. If demand is greater than the total funding available, grant levels will have to be reduced.

Council leader Coun Graeme Miller said: “This funding is vital for local businesses, and although we are disappointed with the limited ARG allocation, we will work hard to ensure grants are distributed to eligible Sunderland businesses as quickly as possible.

“Last year, our teams worked tirelessly to distribute just over £9million of ARG grant funding to provide a lifeline for businesses, and I hope this new allocation of funding will offer support to as many of the businesses who need it most as possible, due to the uncertainty and challenges caused by the Omicron variant.”

Grants are now available to help hospitality and leisure businesses affected bu the omicron variantGrants are now available to help hospitality and leisure businesses affected bu the omicron variant
Grants are now available to help hospitality and leisure businesses affected bu the omicron variant
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The grant funding is part of a £1billion package of financial support for businesses which continue to be affected by the pandemic, announced by chancellor Rishi Sunak on December 21, which includes the reintroduction of the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme and an additional £30million made available through the Culture Recovery Fund.

Applications for the ARG Omicron funding will be open until midnight on February 13, while applications for the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant will be open until and midnight on March 18.

Deadlines have been amended based on updated information received from the Government.

Details for the grant schemes and all Covid-19 guidance for businesses and employers available can be found by visiting: https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/covid-19business

Sunderland Council leader Coun Graeme Miller says the authority is 'disappointed' with its ARG allocationSunderland Council leader Coun Graeme Miller says the authority is 'disappointed' with its ARG allocation
Sunderland Council leader Coun Graeme Miller says the authority is 'disappointed' with its ARG allocation

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