£3.3million support provided to Renfrewshire businesses

Local businesses in Renfrewshire have received more than £3.3million in the first phase of financial support to help mitigate the impact of Coronavirus.

The Scottish Government Coronavirus Business Support Grant funds are hitting business bank accounts from today (Tuesday 7 April).

Renfrewshire Council approved more than 300 applications in just four days to ensure local businesses have access to the support they need as quickly as possible – with hundreds more in line to be processed and paid this week.

Some 279 applications worth £2.79million has provided one-off grants of £10,000 to small businesses while a further 23 grants of £25,000 were approved to hospitality, leisure and retail businesses.

Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson said: “We recognise the impact that the current situation is having on businesses and employees throughout Renfrewshire and we want to ensure that support is available to help through these difficult times.

“Our teams are working round the clock to ensure that applications are processed as quickly as possible and this has seen us award more than £3.3million to Renfrewshire businesses already.

“This grant funding is one of a series of measures providing vital support to businesses at this difficult time, with all the details available on the Council website.

“We ask all applicants to ensure they follow the guidance on our website and complete the application fully, with all the correct documentation required, to ensure we can process this without delay.”

This grant funding is part of a number of measures available to support businesses, employees and the self-employed, and include the Job Retention Scheme, VAT and Income Tax Deferral, Business Rates Relief and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

Full details of all the support on offer, with guidance on eligibility and how to apply, is available on the Renfrewshire Council website via www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/coronavirus-businesses.