THURROCK Council has announced that it plans to help small businesses with a £3.5 million grant scheme launched today (Friday, 20 November), designed to help those that have not been eligible for other grants.

The Additional Restrictions Grant (Discretionary) has been created by the council, using Government funding, to help smaller businesses which have been affected by Covid19 restrictions and work from home or provide services from rented halls or other similar premises.

Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Shane Hebb said: "Thurrock Council is one of the first in the country to go live with this additional help for small businesses. This discretionary grant fund will help those businesses that have fallen through the cracks of previous business support schemes.

"The grant is aimed at businesses that have been affected by restrictions but have not been eligible because they work from home or travel to other venues to provide services and do not have a premises they pay business rates on or young businesses which are trying to get off the ground and establish themselves.

"These businesses play an important role in our local economy and we want to make sure that they get the support they need to play the significant role we know they will have in Thurrock's economic recovery.

"We will make £1.5 million available immediately with more money set aside to help businesses re-find their feet in the new financial year."

More information about the grant and details of how businesses can apply can be found here.