Economic Resilience Fund 3 – Welsh Government Funding for businesses

Please see below link and details for the newly announced Economic Resilience Fund 3, Welsh Government Funding for businesses. This relates to the Economic Resilience Fund Business Development Grants portion of ERF 3 (£80m). The detail/eligibility on the remaining £60m of ERF 3, the Local Lockdown Business Fund that will support businesses impacted by local restrictions, has yet to be released. Link: https://fundchecker.businesswales.gov.wales/erfphase3 Some key points from our first pass of the detail available: The Welsh Government considers businesses and organisations eligible for this grant even if they have received funding from ERF Phase 1 or 2 or the Non Domestic Rates Grant. The grant fund will be open for applications […]

Press Activity during Covid

Coronavirus lockdown estimated to have cost North Wales economy millions over Easter 15 April https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/coronavirus-lockdown-estimated-cost-north-18090051 North Wales has lost millions but we have ‘great resilience‘ 15 April https://www.baysideradio.co.uk/news/north-wales-has-lost-millions-but-we-have-great-resilience-1731 North Wales tourism takes £100m hit 16 April https://www.insidermedia.com/news/wales/north-wales-tourism-takes-100m-hit Welsh tourism chiefs want ‘exit strategy’ from coronavirus lockdown as survey reveals pain of sector 22 April https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-tourism-chiefs-want-exit-18127951 Second home crackdown hitting genuine tourism operators being ‘punished for foolishness’ of others 24 April https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/second-home-crackdown-hitting-genuine-18139173 North Wales tourism’s three-step plan for leaving lockdown – and getting visitors to return may be the easy part 9 May 2020 https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/tourism-north-wales-coronavirus-lockdown-18224691 North Wales Tourism critical of Welsh Government ‘inaction’ 11 June 2020 https://www.baysideradio.co.uk/news/north-wales-tourism-critical-of-welsh-government-inaction-2094 People are claimed to […]

Local lockdowns FAQs

https://gov.wales/conwy-county-borough-lockdown-frequently-asked-questions https://gov.wales/flintshire-county-council-lockdown-frequently-asked-questions https://gov.wales/wrexham-county-borough-lockdown-frequently-asked-questions https://gov.wales/denbighshire-county-lockdown-frequently-asked-questions

North Wales local lockdowns announced by Welsh Government

The new measures will come into force at 6pm on Thursday 1 October. The new restrictions mean: People will not be allowed to enter or leave each of these areas without a reasonable excuse, such as travel for work or education;People will only be able to meet people they don’t live with outdoors for the time being. They will not be able to form, or be in, extended households;The restrictions will mean visitors from England or other parts of Wales will not be able to come to the four counties for a holiday. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-54346608

£140 million to support Welsh businesses

The Welsh Government is making an additional £140 million available to businesses to help them deal with the economic challenges of coronavirus (COVID-19) and the UK’s impending exit from the EU, Economy Minister Ken Skates has announced.-£60 million will be allocated to support businesses impacted by local lockdown restrictions. -£80 million worth of business development grants will be open to micro businesses, SMEs and large businesses with £20m ringfenced to tourism and hospitality -Companies that received grant funding through phases one and two of the ERF, or Non-Domestic Rate linked support, could also be eligible for phase three of the ERF.https://gov.wales/140-million-support-welsh-businesses

Announcements from the Chancellor this afternoon

1. Job Support Scheme: introduced from 1 November to protect viable jobs in businesses who are facing lower demand over the winter months due to coronavirus. Will run for six monthsEmployers will continue to pay the wages of staff for the hours they work – but for the hours not worked, the government and the employer will each pay one third of their equivalent salary.This means employees who can only go back to work on shorter time will still be paid two thirds of the hours for those hours they can’t workIn order to support only viable jobs, employees must be working at least 33% of their usual hours. The […]

UK Chancellor anounces new Job Support Scheme

New Jobs Support Scheme will be launched for employees working at least a third of their normal hours, who are being paid for that as normal. The government and employers will jointly increase their wages to cover two-thirds of their lost pay and the employee will keep their jobAll small and medium-sized businesses are eligible, but larger businesses must show their turnover has fallen during the crisis. Employers can use it even if they have not previous used the furlough scheme it replacesIt will run for six months from NovemberThe existing grant for self-employed people is being extended on similar terms to the Jobs Support SchemeA “pay as you grow” […]