£25,000 business grant scheme opened to businesses that occupy rental properties

Date published: 15 May 2020

The £25,000 grant scheme for businesses in the retail, hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors will open to businesses that occupy rental properties as sole tenants at 9pm tonight, Economy Minister Diane Dodds has confirmed.

Business owners in this category should visit nibusinessinfo from 9 pm, and before midnight on Wednesday 20 May, to register.

The Minister said:

"I have been conscious that businesses in the retail, hospitality tourism and leisure sectors, which are such an important part of our economy, and which occupy rental properties as sole tenants, have not been able to access the grant support.

"I am pleased to confirm that, from 9 pm tonight, they will be able to do so via an online form and registration process. So far my Department has issued around 1,600 payments under the £25,000 grant scheme, totalling approximately £40million and officials continue to process applications every day.”

The Minister added:

"We also continue to issue payments to small businesses under the £10,000 support scheme. To date almost 21,000 payments, totalling around £210million, have been issued to businesses in need.

"Both of these schemes must close for new applications on Wednesday 20 May. Officials will process all applications received by that date and payments will continue until all eligible businesses have received them.

"I strongly encourage any business owner who believes they are eligible to engage with the process as soon as possible."

Applications and registration for both the £10,000 small business grant scheme and the £25,000 grant scheme for the retail, hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors close at midnight on Wednesday 20 May.

Notes to editors: 

  1. Eligibility for the £25,000 scheme remains the same. Full details of the registration portal for businesses that occupy rental properties are available at: nibusinessinfo - Business Support Grants for rental properties and/or properties with a Total NAV of £1,590 or below
  2. Follow us on Twitter @Economy_NI  
  3. For media enquiries contact the Department for the Economy Press Office on pressoffice@economy-ni.gov.uk. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.

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