More financial support for business announced by Scottish Government following Chambers’ intervention

Further grants in the region of £220m are being made available for businesses - including the recently self-employed who do not qualify for assistance under the UK Government scheme - to help them deal with the ongoing impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The new package of measures includes £120 million to extend the Small Business Grant scheme to ensure that, in addition to a 100% grant on the first property, small business rate payers will be eligible to a 75% grant on all subsequent properties.

The Scottish Chambers of Commerce has been pressing forcefully for the Scottish Government to address the gaping anomaly between the financial support available for businesses with more than one property in Scotland compared to businesses in the rest of the UK. Today's announcement is a positive step in the right direction which will give much-needed financial relief to many small businesses.