COVID-19 - Government support for businesses
Important announcement about previous grant schemes
20 January 2021 - Swindon changed tiers quickly over the festive period, so you may have missed the chance to apply for a grant you might be eligible for.
You can now apply for the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum: Tier 4 scheme, which covers the period from 31 December to 5 January. This grant scheme came into place for a short time during the festive period when Swindon moved to Tier 4. This is a retrospective grant application and is separate to the new Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum from 5 Jan onwards scheme, which is also currently open.
Important announcement about new grant schemes
20 January 2021 - As a result of national lockdown from 6 January 2021, there is a new Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme which you may be eligible for.
You can now read the criteria and apply for a new ARG if you have not already received an ARG payment from Swindon Borough Council between 7 and 16 January 2021.
We are still working to get the new Closed Business Lockdown Payment scheme up and running, the last of the three new national lockdown schemes which apply from 6 January onwards.
Register your business for COVID-19 related grants
As Swindon has changed local restriction tiers several times over recent weeks and now moved into national lockdown, we have had to frequently change the business grants schemes on offer, often with very little notice.
We know this means that applicants have spent a lot of time trying to establish which scheme applies to their circumstances and then filling out numerous long application forms.
To try and reduce the burden on you during this difficult time, we would like your help to collect relevant information about your business as quickly as possible. This will mean that each time a new scheme is introduced by the Government (there are three due to be launched in January), we will use this information to determine which business is eligible for each scheme.
If we believe your business is eligible, we will send you a very short form that simply asks you to confirm your details. This will help us process applications and pay eligible businesses much more quickly.
To benefit, you need to spend a few minutes completing a COVID-19 universal business grant form. You should do this for each Swindon property which has been impacted by the pandemic. If you work from home or have a mobile business, please complete the form once. Please take time to review the questions and attach all the documents required, as incomplete forms take much longer for us to process.
This form is for all types of businesses directly impacted by the restrictions, including limited companies, partnerships, sole traders, charities, and town and parish councils. It is for businesses in all types of property, with or without a business rates account, whether it is a commercial premises or a home office.
If you haven't already completed a form, please do so as soon as possible
If you have any questions or concerns about completing the form, please email support@swindon.gov.uk.