Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Information for Businesses

Page last updated: 5 February 2024.

You can read the UK Government advice for reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace on the Gov.uk website and sign up for Government email alerts.

The UK Government has a dedicated page outlining the financial support available for businesses.

The Local Resilience Forum has established a number of sub-groups to support people and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes the Business and Economic Response and Recovery Group (BERRG), which is being chaired by the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership.  More information about this group can be found on the Cumbria LEP website.  BERRG is keen to hear from businesses that want to provide intelligence or need support, with businesses invited to email [email protected] 
 

Recovery Loan scheme extended

The Government has announced (July 2022) that it has extended a vital support scheme offering Government-backed loans to small businesses for a further two years.  The Recovery Loan Scheme, originally launched in April 2021 to help businesses recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, has supported almost 19,000 businesses with an average of £202,000 in support.

The Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) is a government scheme aimed at supporting access to finance for UK businesses. It gives lenders a government-backed guarantee against the outstanding balance of the facility.  The extension provides further government support for businesses grappling with cost pressures and adds to measures already announced by the Chancellor, such as increasing the Employment Allowance, slashing fuel duty, and introducing a 50% business rates relief for eligible high street businesses.

You can read the announcement on the Gov.uk website.  The guidance is also available online on Gov.uk