With so many new Government funding schemes and regulatory changes announced it's hard to keep track of all the amendments, rule changes and eligibility criteria – as well as the reaction from businesses. That's why we’re here to help; enabling you to navigate a path through all of the schemes, updates and reactions so you can take advantage of all the available support.
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Last Updated 21 December 2024
1 Click on the Type of Support you need
There are 55 funding schemes and support measures to help your business needs
Regulation changes such as Filing Extensions or Rule Suspensions to ease your administrative burden
2 Select Funding Schemes and Support Measures
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
When is it available?
Announcement Date
20 March 2020
Details Published
26 March 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Application submission required
Start Date
20 April 2020
Is it working?
Underway
Who does this apply to?
Region:
UK
Sector:
All Sectors
Type of Business:
Businesses Charities Recruitment Agencies (agency workers paid through PAYE) Public Authorities
Eligibility Criteria:
The scheme is open to all UK employers that had created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on 19 March 2020 and have a UK bank account
What support is available?
Support Type:
Wages
Support Available:
60% of wages for the hours the employee does not work, up to a cap of £1,875 per month. Employers must make up the difference of 20% to bring furlough payments up to 80% of wages (up to a cap of £2,500) for unworked hours, while continuing to meet NIC and pension contributions for furloughed wages.
1 October 2020 - Government to pay 60% of wages up to £1875.00 for the hours the employee is on furlough
1 September 2020 - Government to pay 70% of wages up to £2.187.50 for the hours the employee is on furlough
1 August 2020 - Firms must now contribute towards their employees wages
show more20 April 2020 - Details on how to apply have been published
06 April 2020 - Scheme will allow workers who left or were made redundant after 28 Feberuary 2020
26 March 2020 – Guidance for Employers published
26 March 2020 – Guidance for Employees published
20 March 2020 – First published
Statutory Sick Pay Rebate
When is it available?
Announcement Date
17 March 2020
Details Published
18 March 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Application submission required
Start Date
Available now
Is it working?
Underway
Who does this apply to?
Region:
UK
Sector:
All Sectors
Type of Business:
Small Business Medium Business
Eligibility Criteria:
Employs fewer than 250 employees as of 28 February 2020
What support is available?
Support Type:
Statutory Sick Pay
Support Available:
Reclaim 2 weeks of Statutory Sick Pay at £94.25 per week (this rises to £95.85 in April 2020).
26 May 2020 - Applications open
19 May 2020 - Application start date announced
03 April 2020 - SSP Guidance published show more25 March 2020 - Legislation passed17 March 2020 - First published
Business Rates Holiday (Retail, Hospitality and Leisure)
When is it available?
Announcement Date
17 March 2020
Details Published
18 March 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Application is automatic
Start Date
Applies to your next council tax bill in April
Is it working?
Underway
Who does this apply to?
Region:
England
Sector:
Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Sectors
Type of Business:
All Businesses
Eligibility Criteria:
Properties that will benefit from the relief will be occupied properties that are wholly or mainly being used:
as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues
for assembly and leisure
for hospitality, as hotels, guest & boarding premises or self-catering accommodation
What support is available?
Support Type:
Business Rates
Support Available:
12 months business rates holiday
How do I find out more and apply?
Application Method:
Businesses will receive a bill showing no business rates charge for the 2020-2021 tax year. Those who had already received bills for the 2020-2021 tax year will be rebilled
25 March 2020 - Expanded retail discount guidance published 18 March 2020 - Local authority guidance published 17 March 2020 - First published
Business Rates Holiday (Nurseries)
When is it available?
Announcement Date
17 March 2020
Details Published
18 March 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Application is automatic
Start Date
Applies to your next council tax bill in April
Is it working?
Underway
Who does this apply to?
Region:
England
Sector:
Nurseries
Type of Business:
All Businesses
Eligibility Criteria:
On Ofsted’s Early Years Register Is used wholly or mainly for the provision of the Early Years Foundation Stage
What support is available?
Support Type:
Business Rates
Support Available:
12 months business rates holiday
How do I find out more and apply?
Application Method:
Businesses will receive a bill showing no business rates charge for the 2020-2021 tax year. Those who had already received bills for the 2020-2021 tax year will be rebilled
All employers are eligible, large businesses will have to meet a financial assessment test.
What support is available?
Support Type:
Grant
Support Available:
For every hour not worked by the employee, both the Government and employer will pay a third each of the usual hourly wage for that employee. The Government contribution will be capped at £697.92 a month.
Freelancers in the sub sectors of arts, creative industries, arts and heritage events, culture and heritage, whose work has direct creative/cultural outcomes.
24 September 2020 - Scheme extended until 30 November 2020 17 April 2020 - First online lending platform accredited by the British Business Bank
11 April 2020 - New lenders accredited by the British Business Bank
show more03 April 2020 - Requirement to lend on normal commercial terms first has been removed
03 April 2020 - Lenders banned from requesting personal guarantees for loans under £250,000
23 March 2020 - Guidance for Businesses and Advisors
23 March 2020 - FAQs for SMEs
20 March 2020 - First Published
24 September 2020 - Scheme to be extended until 30 November 2020
03 April 2020 - First published
Covid Corporate Financing Facility
When is it available?
Announcement Date
17 March 2020
Details Published
18 March 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Application submission required
Start Date
23 March 2020
Is it working?
Underway
Who does this apply to?
Region:
UK
Sector:
All Sectors
Financial Companies are excluded
Type of Business:
Large Companies
Eligibility Criteria:
Companies - and their finance subsidiaries - that make a material contribution to the UK economy.
Companies that had a short or long-term rating of investment grade, as at 1 March 2020, or equivalent.
What support is available?
Support Type:
Debt Purchase
Support Available:
The Facility will purchase sterling-denominated commercial paper, with the following characteristics:
Maturity of one week to twelve months
Where available, a credit rating of A-3 / P-3 / F-3 / R3 from at least one of Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, Fitch and DBRS Morningstar as at 1 March 2020
17 August 2020 - Second grant is open
14 July 2020 - First grant has closed
14 April 2020 - Guidance updated
show more26 March 2020 - Guidance published
Cash Grants (Retail, Hospitality and Leisure)
When is it available?
Announcement Date
11 March 2020
Details Published
24 March 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Scheme is now closed
Start Date
Available now
Is it working?
Scheme is now closed
Who does this apply to?
Region:
England
Sector:
Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Sectors
Type of Business:
A business in the retail, hospitality or leisure sector
Eligibility Criteria:
Properties that will benefit from the relief will be occupied properties that are wholly or mainly being used:
as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues
for assembly and leisure
for hospitality, as hotels, guest & boarding premises or self-catering accommodation
What support is available?
Support Type:
Grant
Support Available:
A £10,000 grant for businesses with a rateable value of under £15,000
A £25,000 grant for businesses with a rateable value of between £15,001 and £51,000
28 August 2020 - Scheme finishes
02 April 2020 - Grant funding allocations by local authority published 24 March 2020 - Guidance for local authorities published
Small Business Grant Scheme Funding
When is it available?
Announcement Date
11 March 2020
Details Published
24 March 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Scheme is now closed
Start Date
Available now
Is it working?
Scheme is now closed
Who does this apply to?
Region:
England
Sector:
All
Type of Business:
Small Business
Eligibility Criteria:
A business that is already receiving Small Business Rate Relief and/or Rural Rate Relief
28 August 2020 - Scheme is now closed
02 April 2020 - Grant funding allocations by local authority published
24 March 2020 - Guidance for local authorities published
Future Fund
When is it available?
Announcement Date
20 April 2020
Details Published
20 April 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Application submission required
Start Date
20 May 2020
Is it working?
Underway
Who does this apply to?
Region:
UK
Sector:
All
Type of Business:
SMEs
Eligibility Criteria:
Unlisted high-growth companies that have previously raised at least £250,000 in equity investment from third party investors in the last five years
What support is available?
Support Type:
Loan
Support Available:
Total of £500 million in public funds
Loans of between £125,000 and £5 million from Government with matched funding from private sector
Loans will automatically convert into equity on the company’s next qualifying funding round, or at the end of the loan if they are not repaid
24 September 2020 - Scheme extended until 30 November 2020
20 May 2020 - Open for applications
18 May 2020 - Launch date announced
show more20 April 2020 - First published
Targeted R&D Funding
When is it available?
Announcement Date
20 April 2020
Details Published
20 April 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Application submission required
Start Date
4 June 2020
Is it working?
Underway
Who does this apply to?
Region:
UK
Sector:
All
Type of Business:
SMEs
Eligibility Criteria:
SMEs focused on R&D activities
What support is available?
Support Type:
Grants and Loans
Support Available:
£750 million of grants and loans through Innovate UK
4 June 2020 - Scheme extended 20 March 2020 - Guidance Published 17 March 2020 - First Pubilshed
Personal Loans Forbearance
When is it available?
Announcement Date
17 March 2020
Details Published
17 March 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Application submission required
Start Date
Available now
Is it working?
Underway
Who does this apply to?
Region:
UK
Sector:
All
Type of Business:
Self-employed and Employees experiencing payment difficulties due to COVID-19
Eligibility Criteria:
A personal loan refers to a regulated credit agreement, secured (other than on land) or unsecured, that is not a high-cost short term credit agreement, buy now pay later agreement, hire purchase agreement (including motor finance), credit card or overdraft.
What support is available?
Support Type:
Loan
Support Available:
An arrangement under which a firm permits the customer to make no payments under their regulated credit agreement for a specified period without being considered to be in arrears
06 April 2020 - Consultation on draft guidance closed 02 April 2020 - Draft guidance published 17 March 2020 - First Pubilshed
Motor Finance and High Cost Loan Payment Deferral
When is it available?
Announcement Date
24 April 2020
Details Published
24 April 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Application submission required
Start Date
27 April 2020
Is it working?
Underway
Who does this apply to?
Region:
UK
Sector:
All
Type of Business:
All Businesses
Eligibility Criteria:
Motor finance customers facing temporary payment difficulties
High cost short term credit (payday loan) customers facing temporary payment difficulties
What support is available?
Support Type:
Motor Finance
Support Available:
3 month payment freeze for motor finance customers
No altering of Personal Contract Purchase or Personal Contract Hire agreements in a way that is unfair
For start-ups, sole traders, micro businesses: Employ up to 9 employees; have experienced in excess of a 40% reduction in turnover since 1 March 2020; can demonstrate that efforts have been made to sustain business activity; are not pursuing other forms of Welsh Government non-repayable grant funding support; and are not be entitled to business rate relief grant.
For SMEs: employ up to 249 employees; have experienced in excess of a 60% reduction in turnover since the first day of March; are not be eligible for business rate relief grants, or if they are, that amount would be deducted from their allocation from this fund; have a sustainable business plan to trade beyond the Covid-19 pandemic; confirm no future compulsory redundancies will be made as long as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is in place; and are not be pursuing any other form of Welsh Government non-repayable grant funding support
What support is available?
Support Type:
Loan
Support Available:
Grants of up to £10,000 for Start-ups, sole traders, micro businesses
8 May 2020 - Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund Doubled to £90m
5 May 2020 - £45 million Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund paused for 7 days
21 April 2020 - First published
SME and Self-Employed Fund (Scotland)
When is it available?
Announcement Date
15 April 2020
Details Published
15 April 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Scheme is now closed
Start Date
30 April 2020
Is it working?
Scheme is now closed
Who does this apply to?
Region:
Scotland
Sector:
All
Type of Business:
SMEs, micro companies, self-employed workers
Eligibility Criteria:
Self-employed people and viable micro and SME businesses in distress due to COVID and who are ineligible for other Scottish Government or UK Government schemes
What support is available?
Support Type:
Grant
Support Available:
£100 million fund issued through grants of £2,000
How do I find out more and apply?
Application Method:
Applications will be through local authorities and enterprise agencies
Charities providing key services and supporting vulnerable people during the crisis
SME charities delivering food, essential medicines and providing financial advice
What support is available?
Support Type:
Grant
Support Available:
£360 million in grants for UK charities providing key services
£370 million in grants for SME charities in England
£20 million for BBC Big Night In charity appeal
How do I find out more and apply?
Application Method:
£360 million fund will be directly allocated to charities
Awaiting details on application system for £370 million fund
30 June 2020 - Scheme closed 26 March 2020 - Guidance published 20 March 2020 - First Pubilshed
Defer Income Tax Payments
When is it available?
Announcement Date
20 March 2020
Details Published
20 March 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Scheme is now closed
Start Date
Applicable to payments due on the 31 July 2020
Is it working?
Scheme is now closed
Who does this apply to?
Region:
UK
Sector:
All
Type of Business:
Self-employed
Eligibility Criteria:
You are due to pay your second self-assessment payment on account on 31 July
What support is available?
Support Type:
Income Tax
Support Available:
Payments due on the 31 July 2020 will be deferred until the 31 January 2021
How do I find out more and apply?
Application Method:
This is an automatic offer with no applications required. No penalties or interest for late payment will be charged if you defer payment until 31 January 2021.
26 March 2020 - Guidance update 20 March 2020 - First Pubilshed
Employment and Support Allowance Benefit Payment for the Self Employed
When is it available?
Announcement Date
20 March 2020
Details Published
20 March 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Application submission required
Start Date
Available now
Is it working?
Underway
Who does this apply to?
Region:
UK
Sector:
All
Type of Business:
Self-employed
Eligibility Criteria:
Self-employed or employed who have been working within the last 2 to 3 years
Made (or been credited with) Class 1 or Class 2 National Insurance contributions
What support is available?
Support Type:
ESA
Support Available:
£57.90 per week for a person under 25 whilst your application is being assessed.
If you are eligible for new style Employment and Support Allowance, it will now be payable from day 1 of sickness, rather than day 8, if you have COVID-19 or are advised to stay at home.
How do I find out more and apply?
Application Method:
If you’re already getting Universal Credit, speak to your work coach or case manager about applying.(blank) If you’re not already getting Universal Credit, you’ll need to phone the Universal Credit helpline to arrange a new claim on 0800 328 5644 (choose option 2)
24 September 2020 - Scheme extended to 31 December 2020
05 June 2020 Scheme extended to 30 September 2020
14 May 2020 Scheme extended to 30 June 2020
show more28 March 2020 - First published
Accounts Filing Extension
When is it available?
Announcement Date
25 March 2020
Details Published
25 March 2020
Can I Apply Now?
Application submission required
Start Date
Available now
Is it working?
Underway
Who does this apply to?
Region:
UK
Sector:
All
Type of Business:
All businesses
Eligibility Criteria:
Your accounts will be late because your company is affected by COVID-19, and your filing deadline has not yet passed
Expatriates or non-domiciled persons currently living in the UK
What support is available?
Support Type:
Tax
Support Available:
Update to the exceptional circumstances rules for claiming the SRT to include COVID-19 related reasons
Days spent in the UK due to quarantine, self isolation, international border closures or at the request of an employer as a result of COVID-19 will be considered as exceptional
How do I find out more and apply?
Application Method:
This is an automatic offer with no applications required.
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