Rishi Sunak is set to launch a further series of grant payments for those small firms in the UK that are forced to shut their doors again due to a second lockdown.

The Chancellor is currently working on the plan for these grants, which would be targeted at those firms that would have to shut at the highest level of the ‘three-tier’ lockdown that may have to be imposed following a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases. Among these could be retail outlets that are deemed not to be essential services, as well as restaurants and pubs – both of which have already suffered severely this year.

Although this three-tier idea is still in development, it is believed that the top tier of it would mean all businesses in the leisure and hospitality sectors having to close down again. The grants that Sunak is proposing to provide to smaller firms that find themselves in that position come in the wake of the £1,500 grants already made available to those required to shut because of lockdowns in specific areas of the country.

Sunak has stated that the government will do everything possible to provide rapid and comprehensive support for any small businesses that face further uncertainty over the next few months, and this latest grant would be available via local councils.

An accountant for small business in South Yorkshire or whatever region a company is based in can often be useful in helping business owners determine exactly what sort of financial help they are entitled to.