£500k Covid funding still unclaimed by Melton businesses

Half-a-million-pounds in grant funding to help businesses in the Melton area cope with the coronavirus pandemic remains unclaimed with the deadline approaching fast.

Melton Borough Council has today sent out an urgent appeal to those who qualify to make a claim while the funds are still available.

Among those which can benefit are non-eassential retailers, hospitality businesses, the personal care sector, community venues and home-based entrepreneurs.

The council is allocating money from The Mandatory National Restart Grant Scheme, to support those in certain sectors who pay business rates, and the Melton Discretionary Restart Grant for everyone else, which must be claimed by the end of May.

Council Leigh Higgins, deputy leader of the council, said: “To date the council has paid out over 85 per cent of the grant allocation which is fantastic but there is still around £500,000 in total available.

“With the deadline for these grants drawing to a close, I want to encourage all business owners to double check if they are eligible for one of these valuable grants.

“The eligibility is wide-ranging and can include non-essential retail, such as toy shops and clothes shops, the hospitality sector, including cafes, pubs and restaurants, the personal care sector, including hairdressers, barbers, nail salons and beauty salons, and the leisure sector, such as venues for weddings and events, village community halls, gyms and youth activities organisations.

“Whether you are a home-based business, a consultant, self-employed or a limited company, completing an application could be the best 15 minutes spent this weekend.”

The restart grants aim to support businesses which have incurred additional costs related to reopening once the lockdown ended.

To date a wide range of sectors have benefited from the schemes with a total of over £2.5 million being paid out to businesses such as taxi drivers, manufacturers, cafes and restaurants, home-based businesses and suppliers.

lGo online to www.melton.gov.uk/here4melton/business for more information and to apply for either grant as soon as possible while the funding remains available.