Business and personal bank accounts can now be use to apply for Temporary Business Closure Grant

Applicants for the Scottish Government’s Temporary Business Closure Grant can now apply even if they do not have a formal business bank account. 

Businesses will now be able to use a personal bank account as evidence, if the account is mainly used for their business banking.

Council Leader, Cllr. Margaret Davidson welcomed this news, she said: “This immediately will mean that many hundreds of Highland business will now be able to secure this grant. 

"We know that many businesses operate through a personal bank account and therefore we lobbied hard to get this grant requirement changed. 

"If you have been put off from applying by the requirement to have a business bank account, we urge all affected businesses to immediately go to Highland Council's website, take the 15 minutes required to read the guidance, gather your bank and business evidence required and to apply using the online form."

The Temporary Closure Grant is available for businesses who have had to close due to the COVID-19 protective measures introduced on Boxing Day. 

The closure grant operates as a two-tiered scheme, with a grant of £2,000 for premises which have a rateable value of up to and including £51,000 and a grant of £3,000 for those businesses with a rateable value of £51,001 and above. The grant is payable every four weeks, in arrears, for the duration protective measures are in place with the first grant payments due towards the end of January.

For more information please visit www.highland.gov.uk/strategicframeworkfund

Over the coming weeks the Scottish Government will be making available a range of other grants to businesses, including taxi and private hire; newly self employed, mobile close contact services and a Highland Discretionary Business Grant scheme.

The Council has been asked to deliver these grant schemes and as detailed eligibility and grant scheme information becomes available from the Scottish Government, the Council will provide guidance and detail on its website as to who is eligible and how to apply for grant.