Derbyshire Emergency Relief Fund for businesses now in place

By Dom Stevens - 23 March 2020

UPDATE 25/03/20: Applications are currently closed on a temporary basis – “We are currently processing the applications received so far as quickly as possible and prioritising self-employed applicants to ensure they are the first to receive payments.” Read more here.

Following the announcement of an initial £1m allocation, complementing the Government’s coronavirus funding packages, the Derbyshire County Council Emergency Relief Fund for the county’s smallest businesses is now in place.

Businesses with nine or fewer employees and sole traders will now be able to apply online for up to £500 in emergency support to help to cover the initial hardships that companies might have as a result of the pandemic.Council Leader Councillor Barry Lewis said: “Derbyshire’s smallest businesses, particularly in certain sectors, will already be feeling the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. The support available from the Emergency Relief Fund won’t solve those problems but might help those who face an immediate issue as a result of lost income.””The Fund is easy to apply for and one-off payments will be made quickly for successful applicants. Alongside this direct financial help we are pulling together a wider package of support in place to help companies access the millions of pounds that the Government has made available for businesses and more details are available at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/businessgrants.”

The Emergency Relief Fund criteria and application form are available online at www.derbyshire.gov.uk/businessgrants . Businesses will need to be registered in Derbyshire, be able to evidence a loss of income as a direct result of the coronavirus outbreak and fulfil the other criteria laid out online in order to apply. The Fund will be open until the 17^th April 2020 and has a limited number of grants available.

The Government has already announced a wide range of measures to support businesses across the country including a business rate holiday and a range of grants. Details of this support is awaited and the Emergency Relief Fund is intended to help businesses whilst the national support is put in to place.

Businesses and residents can find Derbyshire-specific support during the coronavirus outbreak.

Click here to view our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business Support Page