Northampton businesses receive half a million pounds in Covid support grants during second lockdown

Northampton's businesses have received £573,000 in the space of two weeks to help them pay their bills through the second national lockdown.

A second lockdown support scheme was rolled out on November 17 where business owners could apply for grants to tide them through the second bout of restrictions.

But it means that, with the restrictions set to lift this week (December 2), only a sixth of the £2.9m available through the borough council has been claimed.

The £573,000 distributed so far has been paid out to 347 businesses.

The borough council says 447 business owners in Northampton have applied to the scheme so far. 18 of those were rejected.

Claims for the four week period can be submitted even after the county moves into the tiered lockdown system set to begin on Wednesday (December 2).

It compares to how, in the first three five of the first national lockdown that began on March 26, the borough council paid out £34.1m by August 9.

The grants of up to £3,000 are aimed at non-essential retail, leisure, personal care (such as hairdressers and nail salons), entertainment, sports facilities and hospitality.