Covid-19 Winter Disruption Scheme Open for Applications

11 December 2021

Applications are now open for the COVID-19 Winter Disruption Scheme, which provides additional financial support to the Island’s catering, hospitality, leisure, tourism and travel, retail and lifestyle sectors, impacted by reduced trading due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

The COVID-19 Winter Disruption Scheme provides financial assistance in the form of a grant to businesses and self-employed persons operating in eligible sectors whose turnover has been materially impacted over a three month period since September 2021, compared to the same period in 2019 or 2020.

The financial support provided through this Scheme is intended to help eligible businesses to continue trading through the winter months, covering the period December 2021 to the end of March 2022.

Eligible businesses which operate from commercial premises can claim a grant equivalent to the value of up to four times their rates bill(s) for each of their commercial premises.

Eligible businesses which do not operate from commercial premises can claim a single grant payment of up to £4,000.

To access financial support through this Scheme, applicant businesses will be required to declare that they have suffered a downturn in turnover during a qualifying period.

The extent of this downturn can be adjusted to take into account inflation and potential increased staff costs during this extended period.

Applications are now open and will close on Friday 15th April 2022.

The full guidance, including eligibility criteria and a link to apply, can be found at: https://www.departmentforenterprise.im/coronavirus/winter-disruption-scheme/ 

The COVID-19 Winter Disruption Scheme forms part of the new and extended measures announced by the Economic Recovery Group to support businesses over the winter period.

Potential applicants who are unsure of their eligibility are encouraged to contact the Department for Enterprise by email at enterprisesupport@gov.im or by telephone on 687333.