Business: Coronavirus

(asked on 17th November 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will (a) make an assessment of the effect on solvency of lost revenue for closed businesses during the November 2020 covid-19 lockdown and (b) extend eviction protection for businesses beyond 31 December 2020.


Answered by
Kelly Tolhurst Portrait
Kelly Tolhurst
This question was answered on 25th November 2020

The Government has put forward an unprecedented package of support for business in recognition of the disruption caused by Covid-19, including loans, tax relief and cash grants, as well as financial support for employers and self-employed people. In November, the Government announced plans to extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until March 2021, confirmed an extension to the existing loan schemes to the end of January 2021 and an ability to top up Bounce Back Loans, as well as an increase to self-employed support and over £200 billion in VAT relief, business rate relief, tax deferral, loans and support for individuals. Further grant support totalling £2.2 billion has also been made available to support businesses impacted by the 5 November to 2 December national lockdown and localised restrictions. This is in addition to the £11.86 billion in cash grants already delivered to almost a million businesses in England between March and September.

In September, the Government extended its moratorium on the landlord's right of forfeiture for non-payment of rent introduced through the Coronavirus Act 2020 until the end of this year. We recognise the impact that this extension has on landlords, lenders and investors; therefore, we expect all sides of the sector to use this time to negotiate on outstanding unpaid rents.

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