East Lothian Council teams have been working hard to process a large number of business grant applications.
To date, we have received 1282 applications and made 1117 awards (totalling just under £13m) which is a payment rate of 99%. Government figures show that East Lothian is well above the national average payment rate of 75%.
Councillor John McMillan, East Lothian Council spokesperson for Economic Development, said: “I sincerely hope these grants help local businesses survive the current crisis and I hope to see them thrive once we’re out of lockdown and into the recovery phase.
“I want to say a huge ‘thank you’ to the teams who have been working really hard to get these payments processed. They understand how important it is to get this money to businesses as soon as possible.
“I know there will be some organisations who haven’t met the criteria for these government grants and I would urge anyone who is worried about their business or their employment to visit the council website where there are contact details, information and links to other organisations – all aimed at helping businesses and employees access the support that’s right for them. We will continue to support our businesses and workforce as much as we can throughout the Coronavirus crisis.”
Businesses can continue to apply for the support grants right up to the end of the current financial year – March 31st 2021. To help with speedy processing and payment it is important that all the correct supporting documentation is provided. Full instructions are on the council website and application form.
Support is also available for the financial year for those who are self-employed. More details are on the council website.