Business Hardship Fund grant applications sought

Highland Council has today launched - on behalf of the Scottish Government - the COVID-19 Business Hardship Fund.

Grants of £1,000 and £1,500 are available for eligible businesses up to a maximum of £10,000 if the business has multiple premises.

To be eligible for the grant, the business must be:

• A hospitality business or certain gyms which are required by the current regulations to operate in a restricted way; or
• A producer/wholesale business based in Scotland supplying primarily short-life goods or produce to hospitality businesses which have been required by the regulations to close or operate in a restricted way. These businesses must be able to evidence a 25% reduction in turnover during the current brake period.

Businesses are asked to go to the Council’s COVID-19 Business Grant page on its website and check to ensure that they meet the full range of eligibility criteria. Eligible businesses are then asked to complete the online application form accurately and in full while ensuring that they submit the specified evidence. This will enable applications for this grant to be assessed and for payments to be made in due course. 

The Scottish Government also has another grant scheme called the ‘Business Closure Fund’. This grant scheme is only open to businesses which are in the Ayrshire & Arran; Forth Valley; Greater Glasgow & Clyde; Lanarkshire and Lothian health board areas that are required by law to close under the COVID-19 brake restrictions. Highland-based businesses are therefore not eligible to apply for this grant (the Business Closure Fund).

For more information please go to www.highland.gov.uk/businesshardshipfund

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