Scarborough Council continues distributing grants to businesses affected by coronavirus outbreak

More than £68 million was given to the borough council last week to get to those being hit hardest by the Covid-19 crisis.

A council spokesman said today that the number of grants given out over the weekend had more than doubled from the £2.7m it had distributed by Friday last week.

The spokesman added: “As of Sunday 5 April, we’ve paid 723 grants, equating to £7.96m.

“We will continue to work Monday to Sunday, including evenings, to process the payments.”

Although the money is from a national fund, distribution is being managed by local councils throughout the country.

There are more than 4,000 businesses throughout Filey, Scarborough and Whitby that are eligible to receive one of two grants.

The small business grant fund (SBGF) of £10,000 is for businesses in receipt of small business rates relief or rural rates relief. The retail, hospitality and leisure grant (RHLG) is for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors that have rateable values of less than £51,000.

They will receive a payment of £10,000 or £25,000 depending on the actual rateable value of their business property.

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