Hundreds of businesses across Bath and North East Somerset are to receive financial support to help them reopen safely following lockdown.

One-off Restart grants are available to businesses that are predominantly reliant on delivering in-person services for the general public.

Grants of up to £6,000 are available for non-essential retail businesses. Larger grants of up to £18,000 are available for hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym businesses, which may open later under the Government's roadmap out of lockdown and are more likely to be impacted by ongoing restrictions.

Bath & North East Somerset Council aims to make the processing and payment of grants as smooth as possible and, where possible, automate payments based on information supplied by businesses which have applied for previous support grants.

To ensure businesses are still eligible for funding they will be contacted by the council during the first week of April and asked to confirm their details by Monday 12 April. Claims will then be processed, and grant funding paid directly into businesses bank accounts within a few days.

Councillor Richard Samuel, cabinet member for Resources, said: "With the Government's roadmap out of lockdown there is now light at the end of the tunnel for local businesses, and these grants will ensure they have the cash they need to plan ahead and reopen safely over the coming weeks and months.

"We appreciate how tough the past year has been for local businesses and know this money is crucial to their successful reopening so we'll work as fast as we can to ensure the money is paid out as quickly as possible."

Restart Grant thresholds for non-essential retail premises:

:Businesses with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under on 1 April 2021 will receive a payment of £2,667.

:Businesses with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on 1 April2021 will receive a payment of £4,000.

:Businesses with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or over on 1 April 2021 will receive a payment of £6,000.

The Restart Grant thresholds for hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym business premises:

:Businesses with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under on 1 April 2021 will receive a payment of £8,000.

:Businesses with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on 1 April 2021 will receive a payment of £12,000.

:Businesses with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or over on 1 April 2021 will receive a payment of £18,000.

Detailed grant information is available by clicking HERE :

the B&NES site