'Get grants out as quickly as possible' - Leeds business chiefs on Rishi Sunak's Covid Omicron support package

Rishi Sunak yesterday offered a £1bn support package to firms impacted by Covid restrictions amid concerns over the transmission of the Omicron variant.

The package includes one-off grants of up to £6,000 per premises for businesses in the affected sectors in England, which the Treasury expects will be administered by local authorities and to be available in the coming weeks.

“They will provide some respite to the businesses who have been hit hardest by the latest Covid measures."

But he warned that more support for firms in Leeds and across the region will be required, should tougher lockdown-style rules be enforced post-Christmas.

“The Chancellor and his team have engaged with our colleagues at the British Chambers of Commerce recently, and we’ve been able to highlight particular experiences facing businesses at this difficult time.

“With the Omicron variant putting more pressures on public health and the economy, the difficulties may persist for some time to come and so it’s important to get the grants out as quickly as possible.”

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