£2.7m of Business Support Grants land in accounts next week

A number of local businesses are set to remain closed for the remainder of this financial year, following the Prime Minister's announcement earlier this week about the roadmap out of lockdown.

As a result, Bedford Borough Council is now able to automatically pay £2.7million in business support grant to these businesses. These payments are expected to be in business bank accounts early next week. These grants are set and funded by the Government at a national level and administered by the local council.

Additionally, any businesses with business premises that haven't been required to close but have been badly impacted by lockdown are encouraged to get in touch with the Council and apply for support at www.bedford.gov.uk/bsg, if they haven't already.

Any business that has already received a payment during this national lockdown period- either because it has had to close, or because it has been adversely impacted- will receive this further grant automatically.

Councillor Michael Headley, Portfolio Holder for Finance said "Support is available for businesses with fixed business premises costs that have either had to close, or have been able to remain open but have been adversely impacted by lockdown. We are working to help local businesses as fairly and as quickly as possible. Where we can we are distributing this support automatically to ensure it reaches people as quickly as possible, but businesses can also contact us via the website to apply for a support grant."