Guidance about the additional financial support for hospitality, leisure or accommodation businesses, impacted by the Omicron variant is now available.

Bath & North East Somerset Council is setting up an application process and reminding businesses to check its Covid support for business web pages HERE : where they will be able to apply for support once the system is in place.

Deputy council leader and cabinet member for resources, Councillor Richard Samuel, said: "The Government made an announcement about support for hospitality, leisure and accommodation business in the week leading up to the Christmas break but we were not given any detail about how the scheme, which councils have to administer, would work.

"We have been waiting to find out more about the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant and now that we have it we will work as quickly as we possibly can to set up an application process to make sure businesses in Bath and North East Somerset, that meet the eligibility criteria, get the funding they desperately need."

Businesses are eligible for the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme from 30 December 2021. Councils are not allowed to make payments to businesses before this date.

Businesses must have been trading on 30 December 2021 to be eligible to receive funding under this scheme. The eligibility criteria for the payment of the grants are determined by central government. Businesses will only be eligible where their main service falls within hospitality, leisure, or accommodation sectors.

The amounts payable for the grant are based on the rateable value of the business as follows:

[H2]Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant amounts.[H2]

Rateable value of business

Amount of grant

£0 to £15,000

£2667

£15,001 to £51,000

£4000

£51,001 and above

£6,000

A further round of Additional Restrictions Grants will now also be available for business. The criterial for the eligibility of this grant is currently being developed. Again, a further applications process will be required to administer this grant and the council's Covid Business Support pages will be updated once this eligibility criteria and application has been developed.

Updates will be posted HERE: the B&NES site