Support for Businesses - Financial Assistance

From 1 July 2021, the government will pay 70% of wages up to a maximum cap of £2,187.50 for the hours the employee is on furlough.

Employers will top up employees’ wages to make sure they receive 80% of wages (up to £2,500) in total for the hours the employee is on furlough. The caps are proportional to the hours not worked.

From 1 May, you can claim for new employees who were employed by 2 March 2021. You can read more about the changes here.

Make your claim here.

Applications for the fourth grant have now closed. The application service for the fifth grant will be available at the end of July 2021. 

If you're self-employed, read HMRC's frequently asked questions (FAQs) for self-employed people and businesses

Find out more

The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create 6-month work placements aimed at those aged 16 to 24 who are on Universal Credit and are deemed to be at risk of long-term unemployment. The funding covers 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus employer NI contributions and minimum automatic enrolment contributions.

Find out more here

This refund will cover up to 2 weeks’ SSP from the first day of employees off sick due to COVID-19.

Online service is open. Go here to claim back SSP.   

The temporary 15% VAT cut for the tourism and hospitality sectors has been extended until the end of September. There will be a further 12.5% rate cut for six months after until 31 March 2022. 

In addition, up to half a million business who deferred their VAT bills will be given more breathing space through the New Payment Scheme, which gives them the option to pay back in smaller instalments. Rather than paying a lump sum in full at the end March, they will be able to make 11 smaller interest-free payments during the 2021-22 financial year.

Retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will get 100% rates relief. To get this relief, a property has to be occupied. Properties that have closed temporarily due to the government's coronavirus advice will be treated as occupied.

Relief for the retail, hospitality and leisure and sectors will be available until at least 31 March 2022.

From April 2021 you need to fill in an application form with the council.

You can get these rates reliefs even if you already get another relief for your property.