£7.7m business support grants paid this week by Swansea council

SWANSEA Council is paying out millions of pounds in extra support to help local businesses protect jobs and weather the storm of Covid-19.

This week more than £7.7m was paid out to over 2,200 businesses across the city bringing the total support paid to business in Swansea since the pandemic began to over £78.5m. The grants will reach bank accounts today (February 12).

As many payments as possible have been made automatically into the accounts of those businesses who had received support before during the Firebreak lockdown and the more recent December restrictions period.

Some businesses not paid before will have to apply for support, as required by the Welsh Government. An online form is available to do this on the Council’s web page www.swansea.gov.uk/restrictionsfundNDR.

Businesses that are not liable to pay Business Rates may be able to apply for a discretionary grant and they will also need to apply for those grants using the online form on the Councils web page –  www.swansea.gov.uk/restrictionsfunddiscretionary

Rob Stewart, Leader of the Council, said:

“Once again our officers have worked tirelessly and quickly to ensure that as soon as we receive the funding from the Welsh Government we are able to process payments and pass it on straight away to the businesses who qualify under the scheme. This has been a real team effort between multiple departments including Finance, IT and Economic Development teams.

“We know many businesses are struggling and without this support, many would close and many jobs would be lost. No one underestimates the difficulties lockdown causes but as can be seen from the reduction in cases both locally and nationally it is working and it is saving lives.

“This council is here for Swansea and will continue to use every means at our disposal to support the business community and its employees both during the lockdown and as we emerge from it.

“This will happen if we keep following the rules and protect themselves, their families and our health and care services.”

More general information available to businesses about how to manage through the Covid-19 pandemic can be found on: www.swansea.gov.uk/covid19adviceforbusinesses and on the Business Wales website – www.businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/covid-19-support-business