Support for Businesses - Financial Assistance

The fund is open to applications from 28 January 2022 and closes at 23:59 on 13 February 2022.

Following the emergence of the Omicron variant, enhanced restrictions were introduced to control the virus in December 2021. The Scottish Government is acutely aware of the impact of these measures on hospitality and the food and drink producers who supply to the sector during a key trading period.      

The Scottish Government has therefore established a £2m Scottish food and drink producers fund to provide support to primary and secondary food and drink producers who supply to the hospitality sector, and who have encountered hardship as a consequence of heightened restrictions introduced by the Scottish Government between 8 December 2021 and 24 January 2022.

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The fund is open to applications from 28 January 2022 and closes at 23:59 on 13 February 2022.

The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the food and drink wholesale sector has been severe. The Scottish Government has therefore established a further round of the Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund of up to £15 million. This will be made by way of grants, in line with subsidy control flexibility, to support food and drink wholesalers who have encountered or are encountering hardship as a consequence of either or both of the following:

Part a

Public health restrictions imposed on hospitality and on-trade during the period from the start of January 2021 to the end of August 2021

Part b

Emergence of the omicron variant and related public health restrictions on hospitality and the on-trade that were introduced in December 2021 and continued in January 2022

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This section provides information about the funding being given to support the Scottish brewery industry – the Scottish Brewers Support Fund. This is part of the wider £100 million announced by the First Minister on 17 December 2021, to provide financial support to businesses impacted by the necessary measures introduced in December 2021 to control the spread of the omicron variant of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Breweries who previously received funding from the Brewers Support Fund Phase 1 (part of the Contingency Fund Plus), plus any new brewery businesses which meet the eligibility criteria are entitled to this one off grant payment.

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Retail, hospitality and leisure businesses will get 100% rates relief. To get this relief, a property has to be occupied. Properties that have closed temporarily due to the government's coronavirus advice will be treated as occupied.

Relief for the retail, hospitality and leisure and sectors will be available until at least 31 March 2022.

From April 2021 you need to fill in an application form with the council.

You can get these rates reliefs even if you already get another relief for your property.

The temporary 15% VAT cut for the tourism and hospitality sectors has been extended until the end of September. There will be a further 12.5% rate cut for six months after until 31 March 2022. 

In addition, up to half a million business who deferred their VAT bills will be given more breathing space through the New Payment Scheme, which gives them the option to pay back in smaller instalments. Rather than paying a lump sum in full at the end March, they will be able to make 11 smaller interest-free payments during the 2021-22 financial year.

This refund will cover up to 2 weeks’ SSP from the first day of employees off sick due to COVID-19.

Online service is open. Go here to claim back SSP.   

Applications for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme have now closed. 

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The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create 6-month work placements aimed at those aged 16 to 24 who are on Universal Credit and are deemed to be at risk of long-term unemployment. The funding covers 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus employer NI contributions and minimum automatic enrolment contributions.

Find out more here