BUSINESSES in Wirral have received a share of more than £5m in grants from the council to help them through the coronavirus pandemice 

Nearly 2,000 businesses have submitted a claim for grant money since the authority launched the claim process on its website on Monday, March 30.

Payments started being made on approved applications as soon as the funds were released by Government on Wednesday.

And you can still apply.

One-off cash grants of £10,000 are available for businesses eligible for relief under the Small Business Rate Relief Scheme or Rural Rate Relief and grants of up to £25,000 are available for eligible properties within the retail, hospitality and leisure business sectors.

In addition to cash grants, eligible local businesses may also benefit from other types of support provided via the Council, including business rates relief, which removes the requirement to pay rates during 2020/21, subject to conditions.

Wirral's director of regeneration and place, Alan Evans, said: "Our first priority to local businesses is to help them access financial support and advice.

"We know how critical these grants are right now, and we’ve introduced a simple process to get them out as quickly as we can.

"I encourage all businesses to visit our website and find out what is available to help you.

"The grants process is still very much open, so do use our helpline if you need advice or support.

"For anyone who has made an application, rest assured that you will be hearing from us very soon."

For more details: https://www.wirral.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/coronavirus-updates/financial-aid-businesses