Firstly, there are new grants for those business hit by Tier 2 restrictions, which mean only people from the same household can meet up in leisure, tourism and hospitality settings such as pubs, coffee shops and restaurants. Businesses suffering financially as a result will be able to claim grants of up to £2,100 a month, backdated to August.
Local authorities will administer the grants and set many of the precise rules about who is eligible. How much businesses can claim is linked to the rateable value of their premises. Those with a rateable value of £15,000 or less will qualify for £934 a month; this rises to £1,400 for firms in premises valued at between £15,000 and £51,000; and to the full £2,100 for those in higher-value properties.
In Tier 3 areas, meanwhile, where many businesses are being forced to close their doors altogether, these grants will increase to up to £3,000 a month. Firms in these regions will be entitled to a more generous form of the Job Support Scheme if they are ordered to close, with the government paying 67% of staff wages, and no requirement for a minimum number of hours worked or an employer contribution.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
-
Nationwide: UK house prices creep up by 0.2% - are we heading for a rebound?Nationwide’s latest house price index shows property prices inched up by 0.2% as demand warms up - will this trend go into 2024?
-
December 2023 NS&I Premium Bond winners revealed - have you won the jackpot?
Two Premium Bond holders are now millionaires as NS&I reveals December winners. Find out if you’re one of them
-
The rise and fall of Sam Bankman-Fried – the “boy wonder of crypto”
Why the fate of Sam Bankman-Fried reminds us to be wary of digital tokens and unregulated financial intermediaries.
-
The jury's out on the AI summit at Bletchley Park
World governments gathered for an AI summit at Bletchley Park in November, but were they too focused on threats at the expense of economic benefits?
-
As a market correction begins, money is on the move.
The force of a market correction is equal and opposite to the delusion that preceded it, so we can imagine that the correction will also be unparalleled.
-
How small businesses can retain staff in a competitive job market
Small businesses are struggling to retain staff and compete against large companies with deep pockets.
-
The French economy's Macron bubble is bursting
Cheap debt and a luxury boom have flattered the French economy. That streak of luck is running out.
-
K-pop hitman Bang Si-hyuk aims to repeat BTS phenomenon
Bang Si-hyuk created the world’s biggest boy band, BTS, making K-pop music a global sensation and himself very rich. Can he repeat the trick with a girl band?
-
Nudge theory – how does it hold up, 15 years later?
Nudge theory, the revolutionary theory of how governments can get you to change your behavior for your own good, is now 15 years old. How does it stand up?
-
Betting on US politics – who'll be the next US President?
In the latest betting on US politics, with just over a year until the next US presidential election, punters pick Donald Trump as the favourite.
