Welsh venues to receive up to £25k in Covid support

01-Jul-2021 - Last updated on 01-Jul-2021 at 09:43 GMT

Financial support: businesses will be able to check their eligibility on 5 July on the Business Wales website. (image: Getty/Andrew Brookes)

The Welsh Government has announced a fresh sum of funding for businesses that continue to be hit hard by pandemic restrictions.

An emergency support package will support ongoing costs for businesses required to stay shut or severely impacted by Covid restrictions for July and August.

Eligible businesses will be entitled to a grant of between £1,000 and £25,000 to cover the period up to the end of August.

The amount will depend on their "size, structure and circumstance," the Welsh Government said, with businesses required to prove their turnover has dropped by at least 60% compared to the same period in 2019 or equivalent.

Every lever

Businesses will be able to check their eligibility on 5 July on the Business Wales website.

Applications will open from Tuesday 13 July 2021 for a two week period, closing on Friday 23 July 2021.

Ministers described this as the final instalment of support but added if new restrictions were introduced in the event of a new variant, the need for additional support would be assessed.

Economy minister, Vaughan Gething said the Welsh Government had "pulled every lever" to support businesses with a package that had been "designed to complement and build on the support provided by the UK Government."

He added: "This targeted approach, focused particularly on backing small businesses and Welsh communities, has helped protect in excess of 160,000 Welsh jobs which might otherwise have been lost."

Business rates

While the full business rates holiday ends today (Thursday 1 July) in England, hospitality businesses in Wales will not have to pay any rates until April 2022.

Minister for finance and local Government, Rebecca Evans said: "As bills start to land in England, we’re reminding retail, leisure and hospitality businesses in Wales they won’t need to pay rates until April 2022.

"We’ve listened to the sectors and want to help shops and venues get back on their feet. Even though these businesses can now open, the difficulties of the last year, coupled with the restrictions that remain in place, mean many would still struggle to pay even some of their usual rates."

The next review of Covid restrictions in Wales is scheduled for 15 July after concerns over the Delta virus variant saw the easing of restrictions halted.

It is hoped six people will be able to meet inside private homes in the next easing in addition to increased numbers permitted at indoor events.