Northampton Borough Council leader ‘guarantees’ business grant applications will be open by latest of Monday

Businesses eligible for the Government grant during the second national lockdown will be able to apply by the latest of Monday (November 16), according to the leader of Northampton Borough Council.

Speaking at the weekly Northamptonshire Covid-19 press briefing today (November 13), Councillor Jonathan Nunn said the council is ‘dedicated to getting the money out as quickly as possible’.

As with the first lockdown back in the spring, companies who pay businesses rates will be eligible for support from the Government.

Businesses will need to have been open on November 4 - the day for the second lockdown started - and will need to have been ordered to close for the four weeks of lockdown, to qualify for up to £3,000 a month.

Applications are made to local authority via an online portal, which the leader of the borough council says is almost ready.

Cllr Nunn said: “We district and borough councils who administer these grants hold no details on these businesses, so that caused a significant delay at the time of the first scheme.

“We have now done that process, of course, so simply if the same businesses apply we will know them, we will know their bank details, we will know who they are.

“Our own portal is being tested, we thought we may have it open this afternoon, it may still go live this afternoon, but we’re testing it thoroughly to make sure its taking the right information and that it’s not going to cause anyone any problem.

“We are guaranteeing it will be open for Monday.

“I would as businesses to take as much time as possible completing applications correctly and thoroughly.

“Our experience from the last scheme was that incomplete applications or incomplete evidence that dramatically impacted the time they had to wait.

“We are dedicated to getting the money out to the right people as quickly as possible.”

As well as the administering the Government grants for those companies who pay business rates, Northampton Borough Council is also looking into ways it can help those who were not supported during the first lockdown.

Cllr Nunn added: “There is further money from Government and that gives us some opportunity to consider those areas that were not supported in the first grant scheme.

“Taking advice from Federation of Small Business, Chamber of Commerce and others to make sure we absolutely address this for those businesses that have that most desperate need and we’ll have information out on that as soon as possible.”

When the application portal goes live, it can be found on the council’s website.

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