Harrogate businesses hit by Covid lockdown can soon claim £1,500 grants - here's everything you need to know

The Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) was introduced by the government to support firms affected by Tier 3 restrictions - but is now being made available to all businesses forced to close during the national shutdown.

Harrogate Borough Council said online application forms will be made available shortly and urged businesses to check if they are eligible.

Who can claim?

The grants will be available to any business which has been forced to close or has been unable to provide its usual in-person service from its premises.

The company must also occupy a property on which it pays business rates.

How much can you get?

Businesses with a rateable value of less than £51,000 will be able to apply for a cash grant of £1,000 for each three-week period they are closed.

Those with a rateable value of £51,000 or above are eligible for £1,500 during the same three-week period.

These grants can be extended to cover each additional three-week period, meaning that businesses forced to close beyond the national lockdown will receive £2,000 or £3,000 depending on the rateable value.

Harrogate hits record high in daily Covid cases as almost 100 recorded on Wednesday

What if you think you are not eligible?

Councils have been told they can also use their discretion to provide £1,500 for businesses that don’t pay business rates, or those that are not required to close but are able to show that they have still been severely affected.

What about the self-employed?

If you are self-employed and your business has been significantly affected by the pandemic, you may also be able to benefit from an extension of the Self-employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

The scheme has been extended with two further grants, each available for three month periods covering November 2020 to January 2021 and February 2021 to April 2021.

The amount businesses receive will be calculated at 80% of three months average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment and capped at £7,500.

An online service for these grants will open on 30 November.

It comes as the furlough scheme has also been extended until the end of March and will cover 80% of a person's wage up to £2,500 a month.

At the same time, anyone made redundant after 23 September can be rehired and put back on furlough.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter