Businesses applying to Kirklees Council for a discretionary support grant are being warned to submit their application this week.
The council is to put a temporary pause on new applications from midnight on Friday March 12 to midnight on March 31.
The pause will allow the council to realign the discretionary scheme to mirror new restart grants announced by the Government and support the re-opening of businesses as part of the national roadmap out of lockdown.
Since the launch of the discretionary grant scheme in December 2020, the council has received 1,400 applications and paid over £4.5 million to local businesses.
The grant supports local businesses that have been required to close or have been otherwise impacted by Covid-19 restrictions but are not eligible for other Government grant schemes.
This includes those that aren’t registered for business rates such as daily licence market traders selling non-essential goods, home businesses and the self-employed.
Clr Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Corporate, said: “Since last December we’ve paid out over £4.5 million to businesses under our discretionary grant programme, and this sum will increase significantly in March as the processing of outstanding applications is completed.
“The Government has now launched a new grants programme – Restart – linked to the national roadmap for re-opening businesses, and we will be realigning the discretionary grant scheme with this, to ensure it continues to plug any gaps in support.
“This is a temporary pause to the discretionary grant scheme only. I’d like to reassure all those businesses that have already applied, or apply before midnight on Friday March 12, that we will process their application as quickly as possible and continue to make grant payments.
“It’s vital that we continue to support the Kirklees economy by ensuring grants are distributed as quickly and efficiently as possible, and this short pause will allow us to do this.”
Businesses that have already applied and have a reference number starting with KDSG do not need to re-apply.
The council will continue to process existing discretionary grant applications, or those applications made before the deadline, and make grant payments as necessary.
Updated details of the discretionary scheme and other Government grant schemes can be found on the council’s website at www.kirklees.gov.uk/coronavirusbusiness
