If your business has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic but you have not been eligible for any government support grants so far, you may be able to apply for a one-off discretionary grant of £2k.
East Lothian Council has been awarded a share of government funding to distribute to eligible businesses and self-employed people who have not so far qualified for payment from any other funds.
The fund first opened for applications at the beginning of February 2021 and then again later that month. As the amount allocated to East Lothian Council doubled since we first opened the fund for applications, we can now open for a final round of applications.
Full details and the application form are now available on the council website with applications closing at 5pm on Wednesday 31st March.
Examples of businesses that may be eligible for discretionary support include:
- Businesses that supply goods or services to those who have been closed or restricted
- Businesses facing hardship as an indirect consequence of the current travel restrictions
- Businesses that do not have business premises and are therefore ineligible for grants attached to the rates system
Eligible businesses operating from multiple premises will only be entitled to a single grant payment.
The following businesses will not be eligible:
- Any business that has received a grant through the Strategic Framework Business Fund (Closure/Restriction Fund)
- Taxi, Private Hire and Coach Operators, Mobile Close Contact Services, Travel Agents, Tour Operators, Visitor Attractions, Wedding and Events venues and accommodation providers. Separate funding was announced for these types of businesses by the Scottish Government on 9th December 2020. Details are on our web page
Please ensure that your supporting documents are limited in file size. Large attachments may result in difficulties when submitting your completed application. If you have any problems, please reduce the file size of your supporting documents and try again.