Additional Firebreak Support in Wales

Following the First Minister’s announcement of a short firebreak, the Economic Resilience Fund is being enhanced to help businesses in Wales.

It will now amount to almost £300m, including an extra £150m to support to businesses affected by the firebreak. There is also an additional £20m to the £80m fund already announced to help businesses develop in the longer term, of which £20m has been ring-fenced for tourism and hospitality.

The third phase of ERF also includes a Lockdown Business Fund which will be delivered by local authorities to eligible businesses of:

• Every business occupying a property with a rateable value of £12,001 or less will be eligible for a £1,000 payment.
• Retail, leisure and hospitality businesses forced to close during the firebreak lockdown period occupying a property with a rateable value between £12,001 and £51,000 will be eligible for a £5,000 payment.
• A discretionary £2,000 top-up grant will be made available on an application basis for those businesses with a rateable value of £12,000 or less who are forced to close by the firebreak lockdown.
• A further discretionary £1,000 grant will be made available to businesses on the same basis where they are materially affected by local lockdown measures for 21 days or more prior to the start of the firebreak lockdown period.

Further information should be published soon on the Business Wales website and we understand applications can be made next week.

The above is in addition to the assistance we have previously detailed in our eNews and that is provided on the Business Wales website.

Kindly note that due to lockdown restrictions, our offices will not be open as normal during the firebreak, so please telephone or email to contact us during this time.