Business support grants are being automatically paid by Dorset Council to qualifying businesses.

All businesses that successfully applied for the Local Restriction Support Grant (closed) addendum for the second lockdown - November 5 to December 2 - will receive payments and do not need to go through an application process to receive funding.

The council has sent emails to 3,500 businesses to confirm they will receive two payments this week.

The first payment of the Local Restriction Support Grant addendum covers the current lockdown period of six weeks from 5 January and is based on rateable value. The second payment is a one-off top-up, called the Closed Businesses Lockdown Payment.

Qualifying businesses includenon-essential retail,leisure,personal care,sports facilities and hospitality.

Grant payments are based on the rateable value of each business:

• £15,000 or under - £667 per 14 days of closure

• Over £15,000 and below £51,000 - £1,000 per 14 days of closure

• Exactly £51,000 or over - £1,500 per 14 days of closure

More details can be found here.

Councillor Gary Suttle, portfolio holder for finance, commercial and capital strategy, said: "Lockdown and the pandemic continue to have a severe impact on businesses, so we're working hard to get this much-needed support out to them as quickly as possible, without the need for more form filling.

"The Government's Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) is there to support businesses that have been forced to close due to the temporary local restrictions. If you received the LRSG in the first round of funding, please rest assured you will receive this further support."

More than 1,000 businesses which applied for and received funding through the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) will receive payments during the week commencing January 25.

Businesses that haven't yet applied for a support grant but think they are eligible can complete an online form on the council's web page.

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