Two local councils in the Yorkshire area have announced the launch of discretionary grants for firms struggling with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, but not all businesses will be eligible for them.

The grants are being offered by East Riding Council and Hull City Council and have been designed for small companies in those two areas that have fixed costs for business premises or ratable business property. The grants will only be available to firms that have not been able to apply for the other coronavirus support packages provided by the government.

These discretionary payments are intended to help companies that meet the criteria to weather the storms of the virus and lockdown, and can be worth a maximum of £10,000. A company must employ no more than 50 people to qualify for one of the grants, which means that startup firms, sole traders and family businesses could all be among those eligible, and they may want to get help from a family business accountant in South Yorkshire when making an application.

Speaking to the Hull Daily Mail, Richard Burton from the council said:

“It’s far better that this money gets to businesses just in time rather than too late. This will be really important for startups, market traders and charities. We will be able to help businesses that we haven’t been able to already.”

He also stated that the firms at which these grants were being targeted were a crucial part of the economy for the area.