Blackpool businesses face delays over Restart Grants due to verification procedure

The scheme was introduced earlier this month to support businesses in the non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure, personal care and accommodation sectors with a one-off grant to enable them to reopen safely as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

The Council’s finance team has since received almost 1,900 applications from local businesses but only 15 per cent of those have so far passed through the pre-application checking process introduced by Government to validate claims.

A council spokesman said they wer pressing the government to speed up checks : “We are very much aware of the immense frustration that this is causing for local businesses who need this money now.

"We are working round the clock to do what we can to get the money out of the door, but the more robust pre-application process introduced by Government is causing significant delays.

"This is an issue that is affecting businesses all across the country.

“We have great sympathy for businesses who urgently need these grants to help their cash flow and, together with other local authorities we are pressing for verification of claims to be speeded up.”

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