Coronavirus Business Advice for Local Businesses - 9 April

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Plymouth business news

9 April 2020

Please find below an overview of the latest advice and guidance for COVID-19. In today's newsletter you will find news and updates including:

  • COVID-19 business grants
  • Business support infographic
  • Support for the Fishing Industry
  • Plymouth Culture support for creative businesses
  • Latest funding and support information
  • Business Interruption Loan Scheme expansion
  • Social enterprise and charity support
  • On Course South West courses
  • Latest Economic Development blogs

If you have any specific concerns or are in need of support please contact us.


Business Grants update

Since writing to eligible businesses to announce how they can access the Small Business Grant Fund and Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Grant Fund last week we’ve already paid over £23 million direct into business bank accounts. We’ve received over 2,700 grant forms so far out of a total 4,000 expected, have approved over 2,250 of these and have a team working as quickly as possible to make sure all eligible businesses are aware of, and able to, claim their grants.

Find out more here

Business Grants Eligibility Flowchart

We have also pulled together a flowchart that businesses can go through to check whether they are eligible to receive the Small Business Grant Fund and Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Grant Fund.

View the flowchart here


Business support infographic

We've been working to make it as easy as possible for businesses to access COVID-19 support and advice. But we know that it can be challenging to decipher all of the different schemes available, which is why we've created this handy guide to business support.

View the infographic here


Plymouth leads the way in the fight to support the fishing industry

Plymouth City Council is fighting for the fishing industry’s future with its successful Call 4 Fish initiative and a call to Government to do more to help a sector on the brink of collapse.

The Council has this week written to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to lobby for urgent additional support for fishing.

Plymouth has called on Government for urgent action in four key areas:

  1. Ensure that fishing boats can be categorized as small businesses with premises, enabling them to be eligible for grants
  2. Create a flexible funding pot which will enable innovative local solutions to challenges 
  3. Secure the fishing market with a commercial price for fish
  4. Support to keep fishing ports open and operating

Find out more here.


1-2-1 Support from Plymouth Culture

Plymouth Culture is offering 30-minute sessions where you can book an appointment to talk about the specific help, guidance and support cultural businesses may need during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Use the booking form on the link below to book a call with either Hannah, Victoria, Judith or Nicola and the team will be in touch as soon as possible.

Find out more here


Funding streams and competitions

The Prince’s Trust and NatWest Enterprise Relief Fund

The £5million Enterprise Relief Fund will offer grants to 18 to 30-year olds across the UK who are self-employed and/or running their own business. In conjunction with cash grants, the initiative will offer one-to-one support and guidance to anyone who needs it and who may be worried about their future.

Find out more here

 

The National Lottery Heritage Fund

£50 million will be made available for a Heritage Emergency Fund to support the UK heritage sector as an immediate response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, providing short-term funding for organisations delivering heritage projects or running previously funded projects, and safeguarding heritage sites previously invested in to ensure they are not lost to the public.

Find out more here

 

The National Lottery Community Fund

All funding decisions made for the next six months will prioritise getting funding to groups best placed to support their communities at this vital time focusing initially on existing grant-holders and applicants.

Find out more here

 

Arts Council England

Arts Council England is making £160 million of emergency funding available for those organisations and individuals who will need it during this crisis, and have also changed the funding requirements for individuals and organisations currently in receipt of our funding, to help alleviate pressure on them as best possibee.

Find out more here

 

Sport England

Sport England is making up to £195 million of funding available to help the sport and physical activity sector through the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis.

Find out more here

 

The Drinks Trust COVID-19 Relief Fund

The Drinks Trust COVID-19 Relief Fund is open to people in the drinks and bar industry who have lost their job and/or income as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic.

Find out more here

 

Tesco Bags of Help COVID-19 Communities Fund

Tesco Bags of Help is responding to the current COVID-19 crisis by setting up a new short-term fund to support local communities. The programme is set up to support organisational need in this time of crisis rather than fund specific projects.

Find out more here

 

Innovate UK investing up to £20 million in innovation projects

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £20 million to respond to new and urgent needs in UK and global communities during and following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Competition is now open and closes Friday 17 April 2020 at 12pm.

Find out more here


Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Last week the Treasury announced that the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) has been updated, no longer requiring personal guarantees for businesses looking to borrow less than £250,000 and expanding to support large businesses through the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS).

The CLBILS provides a government guarantee of 80% to enable banks to make loans of up to £25 million to firms with an annual turnover of between £45 million and £500 million. 

Find out more here


Support for social enterprises and charities through COVID-19

Big Society Capital has rounded up information and resources for charities, social enterprises and community businesses to support them through COVID-19. It includes a guide to navigating funding options, how to manage your relationship with funders and investors as well as how to make sense of Government support available.

View the newsletter here


On Course South West offering free online training available to support employees

On Course South West has made a wide range of online qualifications free until further notice. Under current government guidance, furloughed staff are able to take part in training and volunteer work and these Level 2 qualifications will be a great asset for employees who have been furloughed or are working remotely, yet want to continue their professional development and prepare for their return to work. We urge employers supporting staff with their professional development who are now remote working and employers who are considering or have taken the decision to furlough staff to get in touch to find out more. 

Over 40 professional accredited, nationally recognised qualifications are available within Health and Social Care, Business and Industry and Essentials.

Find out more here


David Draffan, Service Director for Economic Development, Plymouth City Council Blog

David Draffan, the Service Director for Economic Development at Plymouth City Council, regularly writes blogs on Linkedin which sets out some of the work that is being done for the business community that you may find interesting to follow.

View the latest blog here


LinkedIn

Did you know we are on Linkedin? Join us here for more regular updates.


InvestPlymouth

Keep up to date with news and advice on our COVID-19 business support page 

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