Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support will be made available to people who (a) lose income and (b) are forced to close their businesses in the event of local, rather than national, covid-19 lockdown restrictions being imposed.

The Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency including almost £300 billion of guarantees – equivalent to 15% of UK GDP. The support measures which remain open to businesses and individuals include:

• A 12-month business rates holiday for all eligible retail, leisure and hospitality businesses in England
• Small business grant funding (SBGF) of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief
• The retail, hospitality and leisure grant fund (RHLGF)
• A Discretionary Grant Fund for Local Authorities in England
• The Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS)
• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)
• The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS)
• The Covid Corporate Financing Scheme (CCFF)
• The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBL) for small and micro enterprises
• VAT deferral for up to 12 months
• The Time To Pay scheme, through which businesses and self-employed individuals in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, can receive support with their tax affairs
• A £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element
• A relaxation of UC minimum income floor for all self-employed UC claimants
• An increase in the Local Housing Allowance rates for UC and Housing Benefit claimants
• A rebate scheme reimbursing employers with less than 250 employees for up to 2 weeks of Statutory Sick Pay per employee.

The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible and how to apply - https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder.

The Government continues to closely monitor the impact of COVID-19 and support packages remains under review.