Support available for businesses affected by flooding

A range of financial support is available for businesses affected by flooding in Tewkesbury Borough.

A range of financial support is available for businesses affected by flooding in Tewkesbury Borough.

Flood-affected businesses just need to get in touch with Tewkesbury Borough Council to see if they can benefit from the government’s Business Support Scheme, Repair and Renew Grant or business rate relief.

The borough council has £55,000 available to support local small and medium-sized businesses through the government’s Business Support Scheme.

The scheme applies to businesses that have been flooded as well as businesses that are in affected areas and have suffered significant loss of trade.

The funding will cover items such as immediate clean-up costs, materials, and exceptional costs to help the business continue trading for example marketing and promotion.

The Repair and Renew Grant provides grants of up to £5000 so homeowners and businesses that have been flooded can improve the property’s resilience or resistance to flooding.

As well as the two government grants, businesses that have experienced flooding between December 2013 and February 2014 will qualify for 100 per cent business rate relief for three months – no matter how long they were flooded for.

The borough council is issuing its annual business rates bills from next month and information on the rate relief scheme will be available within the bill.

Importantly, the council is reassuring those businesses that have been flooded and receive a bill, that there is still time to submit an application to benefit from the flood relief.

Tewkesbury Borough Council’s Lead Member for Economic Development and Promotion Cllr Dave Waters said: “We want to make sure that businesses affected by the recent flooding have easy access to the range of financial support that is available to them. Our Economic Development team is on hand to support and advise businesses in need, and we will do all we can to make sure the application process is quick and simple.”

For more information and advice on any of the schemes, businesses can email bisflood@tewkesbury.gov.uk, phone 01684 272249 or visit www.tewkesbury.gov.uk/business/flooding