Last updated: 1st October 2021
To stay up to date with the latest announcements in relation to COVID-19, please head to the Government website.
The Chancellor announced a number of support packages in the 2021 budget (March).
Outlined below is the support available to businesses and how to access it:
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for businesses that employ fewer than 250 employees.
- Recovery Loan Scheme – Loans between £25,001 and £10 million. Open until December 2021.
- Help to Grow programme – A programme for small and medium sized businesses to help you learn new skills, reach new customers and boost profits.
- Film & TV Production Restart scheme – Help productions across the country that have been halted or delayed by an inability to obtain insurance for Covid-19 related risks open until on 31 October 2021.
- Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England will not have to pay business rates for the 2020 to 2021 tax year.
- VAT reduced rate to 12.5% for hospitality, accommodation and attractions across the UK from 1st October 2021 until 31 March 2022.
Local support
You can also find free support, advice, and information on sources of finance through your local Growth Hub.
- Your local authority may also have grants available for businesses that have suffered or been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. Each local authority in Hampshire will have eligibility for any schemes they may currently be administering. Please contact your local authority (the council you pay your business rates to). If you are unsure of which local authority to contact, please get in touch with us on 07724 61 8392 or 07738 120 566 and we can help you.
- The EM3 Growth Hub have a dedicated helpline for business and can provide one to one support and advice, access to information, webinars and other sources of support for businesses in the EM3 region.
- The Solent Growth Hub are working with several partners to identify additional support for businesses in the Solent region including additional funding and advice. On the Coronavirus Support Hub you will find a page dedicated to the support being offered.
- There are several Business Representative Organisations and Trade Associations in the UK offering sector specific guidance and are happy to hear from non-members and members alike, so do get in touch to find out more.
If you have a query that isn’t covered by this guidance you can contact the Government Business Support Helpline.
