Local authority support
In addition to a number of Coronavirus support packages administered by central Government and associated partners, Oxfordshire businesses can also benefit from specific schemes overseen by the county’s local authorities. Here, you can find local authority business support information as well as tools to help your business communicate the current COVID-19 guidelines and regulations.
UPDATE: It was announced by the Prime Minister on 4 January that England would enter a period of national lockdown until further notice.
Find out more on national lockdown measures
COVID-19 'Stop the Spread' assets for businesses:
Working alongside Oxfordshire County Council, here at OxLEP, we are supporting businesses to help 'stop the spread' of COVID-19 through promotional materials that companies can display in their place of work. Business can find a suite of digital assets and posters below, that can be downloaded to support efforts against Coronavirus.
Please download any of the below materials as required.
OxLEP and Oxfordshire County Council, COVID-19 business toolkit:
DOWNLOAD: COVID-19 #StopTheSpread communications toolkit for businesses
Posters:
DOWNLOAD: Oxfordshire: Stop the Spread - A3
DOWNLOAD: Oxfordshire: Stop the Spread - A4
Other publications:
DOWNLOAD: 'Stop the Spread' - A4 trifold leaflet
The below social media kit gives your business tips and advice as to how to communicate 'Stop the Spread' messaging to your employees:
DOWNLOAD: Social Media toolkit for messaging - January 2021
Digital imagery:
(Suitable for digital boards, intranet, websites, social media and email communications)
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Local authority-specific support:
Additional Restrictions Grants (ARG):
The Additional Restrictions Grants (ARG) provides councils with grant funding to support closed businesses that do not directly pay business rates as well as businesses that do not have to close but which are impacted. Local councils can determine which businesses to target and determine the amount of funding from the ARG.
Local Restrictions Support Grants:
The Government will provide grants to businesses that were required to close due to the national lockdown.
The grants, known as Local Restrictions Support Grant, will provide:
- £1,334 per four weeks for businesses with a rateable value of less than £15,000
- £2,000 per four weeks for businesses with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000
- £3,000 per four weeks for businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or more
The grant amounts are fixed.
Businesses with more than one qualifying property will receive more than one grant. If a business has closed its substantive business but is still offering take-away or click and collect, they should still apply for this grant.
The Government estimates that about 90% of eligible small and medium sized business should have their monthly rent for their premises covered by the grants.
Here are direct links to our local authorities grant funding pages. We encourage businesses to head to their respective local authority websites for more details:
South Oxfordshire District Council