Latest Update Coronavirus

Business Support – Latest Updates

RBKC News. 17.12.2020 Covid-19 News

Funding through four grants is now available, offering financial support to eligible businesses in Kensington and Chelsea.

The grants, funded by Government and administered by the Council, are based on the tier system and provide support for businesses affected by Covid-19 restrictions in different ways. These are:

  • Local Restrictions Support – Closed businesses: for those forced to close during the 28-day national restrictions from Thursday 5 November to Wednesday 2 December, providing payments of up to £3,000;
  • Local Restrictions Support – Open but impacted businesses (Tier 2): for those who continued to operate under Tier 2 restrictions but have had income severely impacted, providing payments of between £934 and £2,100;
  • Additional Restrictions Grants: for those who haven’t had to close but have been severely impacted by restrictions and facing high fixed costs, provided on a discretionary basis;
  • Christmas Support Payment for wet-led pubs: an additional one-off payment of £1,000 for pubs which predominantly serve alcohol.

A fifth grant for businesses impacted by Tier 3 restrictions, which came into effect in London from Wednesday 16 December, is set to open in the new year.

Cllr Catherine Faulks, Lead Member for Economy, Employment and Innovation, said:

“These grants will be a lifeline for many of our business owners in the borough. Everyone has felt the effects of Coronavirus this year and the many challenges this has presented. It’s one of our top priorities to do what we can to protect livelihoods and ensure as much funding as possible is made available.

“We’re continuing to encourage our residents to shop and support local where they can with our market traders, small businesses and entrepreneurs.”

This latest round of funding comes after the Council provided over £260 million to businesses this year in business rates relief and Government-funded business rates grants. Earlier this year, £500,000 in grants was also awarded to 147 businesses and market traders through the Council’s Business Interruption Fund.

Applications are open via an online form which you can access along with the eligibility criteria on the Council’s Covid-19 business support page.

A deadline of Sunday 10 January 2021 applies to the Additional Restrictions Grants and Tuesday 29 December 2020 for the Christmas Support Payments, in keeping with the Government deadline for the scheme to close. There is no current deadline for applications to the Local Restrictions Support Scheme.