Caithness businesses affected by Covid can apply for up to £2K funding

The Highland Council today (March 10) launched a further round of its Discretionary Business Grant Scheme providing grants of £500 to £2000.

This is available for businesses which have witnessed a significant reduction in trade over the December and January period due to the Covid restrictions and guidance to control the Omicron variant.

Malcolm MacLeod the council’s executive chief officer for Infrastructure, Environment and Economy said: “This grant scheme seeks to help those businesses who have, for whatever reason, been unable during January and February to secure grant support from the various Scottish Government grant schemes.

“We know that the public health advice before Christmas and the restrictions introduced after Christmas on business have hit a wide range of businesses. We have therefore kept this grant scheme wide-ranging and not sector or size specific, so that we can reach out to as many affected businesses as possible.

“Now that the main business restrictions have been lifted and businesses are able to assess whether they have experienced a 20 per cent or more reduction in trade, we are asking then to go to our website, take the 15 minutes required to read the guidance, check to see if they are eligible and if they believe they are, gather the bank and business evidence required and apply using our online form. Applications must be submitted by 5pm on March 28.

“We have set a tight timeline for applications, so we can quickly get applications in and the funds out to businesses.”

For more information, please visit: www.highland.gov.uk/info/20016/coronavirus/962/discretionary_grant_scheme

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