Lockdown-hit businesses in Harrogate can now apply for latest Covid cash grants

The Local Restrictions Support Grant has been launched to support businesses which were forced to shut on November 5 - and only companies which were trading before then can apply.

Businesses must also have occupied premises on which business rates are paid to be eligible for the grants, which range from £1,334 to £3,000 depending on the rateable value.

Full application criteria, together with an online application form, can be found at www.harrogate.gov.uk/business.

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Support is also on the way for the self-employed who will soon 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 be launched by the government on November 30.

It comes as the furlough scheme has also been extended until the end of March to cover 80% of an employee'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