Struggling Welsh taxi drivers set for new Government support grant worth £2,500
Struggling Welsh taxi drivers will be eligible for a new support grant worth £2,500 after Welsh Government reveals details of its latest financial support to help businesses impacted by the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Welsh Government is making the latest package of business support available through the Economic Resilience Fund (ERF). The ERF will provide support in the form of cash grants for businesses, social enterprises and charities and associated supply chain businesses that have experienced and/or will continue to experience a material negative impact as a result of ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
The grants aim to help meet operating costs for the period 1 May 2021 to 30 June 2021 directly impacted by the restrictions in place from the beginning of the period.
Prior to the latest grant, taxi drivers have been able to access three previous rounds of funds worth a combined £6,000. These grants were made available after constant dialogue between Welsh Government and Unite Wales who identified the vital need to support the taxi industry across the country.
A Unite Wales spokesperson said via social media: “Welsh Taxi Drivers will be eligible to apply for a fourth grant of £2,500 from the 22 Welsh local authorities.
“Our members would like to thank the Welsh Labour Government for realising the struggle and hardship that the pandemic has brought upon the taxi trade.”
According to Welsh Government guidance, the ERF will specifically support businesses that are either:
a) Forced to remain closed by the on-going restrictions between 1 May 2021 and 30 June 2021
b) Unable to open indoors between 1 May 2021 and 17 May 2021
c) A venue which caters exclusively for weddings and events with a regulatory restriction capacity of 30 guests (but can accommodate a greater amount in normal circumstances)
d) A supply chain business that generates 60% or more of its sales revenue from businesses falling into categories a), b) and/or c)
AND (in addition this applies to all the above):
Have experienced a material negative impact through reduced turnover of 60% or more in May and June 2021 as compared to May and June 2019 caused directly by on-going COVID-19 restrictions.
The grant will open to applicants from the week commencing 31 May 2021 and will close at 5pm on 30 June 2021.
The Fund is administered in two parts; support for businesses with a turnover greater that £85,000 will be provided directly by the Welsh Government; support for businesses with a turnover of less than £85,000 is administered by Local Authorities.
Turnover levels should be for a normal trading year or an estimate if the business started post March 2020.
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