Over £70 million in top up grants will be given to thousands of businesses – Murphy

More than 13,000 businesses, which did not qualify for support during the most recent lockdown period, will now receive top up grants.

Over 12,100 businesses will receive a £5,000 top up while over 1,100 businesses will receive a £10,000 top up.

Visiting two businesses in Belfast which will benefit from the top up grants, the Finance Minister said: “During the most recent restrictions, many businesses were permitted to stay open to provide essential goods and services. While these businesses continued to operate, it is recognised that their trade and footfall was impacted as a result of the restrictions.

“I have been determined throughout the pandemic to ensure support reaches as many businesses as possible. These top up payments will benefit thousands of small and medium sized businesses across retail, hospitality, tourism, leisure and manufacturing which were unable to access Executive business support schemes. This grant will cover a wider range of business including convenience stores, hardware stores, bakeries, financial services, engineering firms, and coach services to name a few.”

Land & Property Services is undertaking verification work to ensure the occupiers of business properties have remained the same since the original grants were paid – once this is complete further top up payments will issue. Businesses which started trading after the application process for the £10,000 Small Business Support Grant and the £25,000 Retail, Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure Grant closed will also have the opportunity to apply online for the top up payment from late June.

Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive of Retail NI, explained: “Retail NI is pleased that the Finance Minister and his Department have listened to our views and concerns and responded with this grant scheme. These grants will support many independent retailers who had lost significant footfall and trade as a result of hospitality and offices being closed during lockdown. Along with the further years rates holiday and the forthcoming High Street Scheme, this will greatly help our high streets on the long road toward recovery.”

Minster Murphy added: “This has been a positive week for the economy as relaxations have enabled businesses to reopen their doors and welcome back customers. It is a positive step forward as we continue to make progress on our pathway to recovery.

“I recognise that it will take time for trading conditions to resume to pre pandemic levels. I hope the grant assistance provided by the Executive combined with the second year of the 12 months rates holiday and the full funding of the Economy Minister’s Economic Recovery Action Plan will help support businesses and economic recovery in the time ahead.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you