Council Distributes £8.9M In Local Business Grants

The first 776 local businesses that have applied for business rate relief grants from Swale Borough Council will be receiving payments worth £8.9 million between them later this week.

The council wrote to 2,600 eligible businesses in the borough with details on how to apply for the grants, which are part of the government's measures to support small businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors through the period of disruption caused by coronavirus (COVID-19).

The council are hoping to make the payments to all eligible businesses by 1 May and is urging those businesses that haven't yet applied to do so as soon as possible.

The grants of up to £25,000 per business are available through one of two schemes:

• The small business grant
• The cash grant for retail, hospitality and leisure

Anyone who runs a business that may be eligible for the grants, but can't access their business premises to receive their post at the moment, can email edu@swale.gov.uk.

You'll need to include:

• your business rates account number, shown on your business rates statement
• the name and address registered on your business rates account

If you have any queries about whether you are eligible for the grant or not, please email: edu@swale.gov.uk with a telephone number that we can contact you on to discuss the criteria.

For more information, and to apply if you haven't already, visit www.swale.gov.uk/support-scheme-registration.