Sandbach businesses will soon be able to apply for an up to £18,000 grant to help them reopen safely as we emerge from the lockdown.

Cheshire East Council will begin inviting applications for the government backed Restart Grant from Thursday (1 April).

The council is also awaiting further details from government on an extra allocation of funding for the Additional Restrictions Grant to allow it to open another round of applications. A further announcement will be made soon.

Once the schemes are open, businesses will be able to apply via the council's new online application system, which businesses will need to use for all support grant applications going forward.

Frank Jordan, Cheshire East Council's executive director for place, said: "Businesses have been hit hard by the pandemic and many continue to be significantly impacted.

"So far, more than £134m in grants has been paid out to Cheshire East businesses to help boost their recovery and rebuild the local economy.

"This latest grant scheme offers further support to businesses to help ensure they can reopen safely and get back to being able to welcome customers.

"I urge those eligible to ensure they submit their application so that they can receive the full amount of support they are entitled to."

The Restart Grant, which closes to applicants on 30 June 2021, is a one-off grant for eligible rate-paying businesses and will be distributed in two strands.

Strand one will support rate-paying non-essential retail premises with one-off grants of up to £6,000.

The following thresholds apply for these businesses:

• Businesses occupying a property with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under on 1 April 2021 will receive a payment of £2,667;
• Businesses occupying a property with a rateable value of more than £15,000 and less than £51,000 on 1 April 2021 will receive a payment of £4,000; and
• Businesses occupying a property with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or more on 1 April 2021 will receive a payment of £6,000.

Strand two of the Restart Grant will support rate-paying hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym businesses with one-off grants of up to £18,000.

The following thresholds apply for these businesses:

• Businesses occupying a property with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under on 1 April 2021 will receive a payment of £8,000;
• Businesses occupying a property with a rateable value of more than £15,000 and less than £51,000 on 1 April 2021 will receive a payment of £12,000; and
• Businesses occupying a property with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or more on 1 April 2021 will receive a payment of £18,000.

To be eligible to receive funding, businesses must be trading on 1 April 2021 and have not already received grant payments that equal the maximum permitted subsidy allowances.