Chancellor announces funding primarily for hospitality and leisure sectors, as Covid surge affects trade
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A bailout package worth about £1bn for businesses losing trade because of the Omicron surge was announced by the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, on Tuesday.
The funding will primarily help firms in the leisure and hospitality sector, and follows concerns that they have faced cancelled bookings and plummeting custom since the government implemented its Covid plan B.
Grants for hospitality and leisure businesses in England, worth up to £6,000 per premise. The Treasury has set aside £683m for these payments, which will be administered through local authorities and will be available in the coming weeks.
Further grants for businesses in England, worth £102m, intended to help businesss most in need, and again administered through local authorities.
The resumption of the statutory sick pay rebate scheme, which will reimburse employers in the UK with fewer than 250 workers for the cost of paying statutory sick pay for Covid-related absences for up to two weeks.
An extra £30m for arts organisations in the UK, paid through the culture recovery fund.
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