Havant Borough Council has pulled out all the stops so that it’s now well underway with processing payments for more than 750 businesses who have applied for coronavirus-related grants.
The council is doing everything it can to get funds out to those who have applied for small business or retail, hospitality and leisure grants. But there are still several hundred eligible businesses yet to apply – and we are urging them to do so as soon as they can.
We understand how critical these grants may be to keep businesses in the borough going through this extremely difficult and worrying time. It is our absolute priority to ensure that they are issued to the businesses that are eligible as quickly as possible.
Dozens of businesses have already received their payments, with more being processed every day. Automatic payments are being processed for the 219 businesses we hold direct debit details for.
We would like to apologise for suggesting a 10-day turn-around in the automated emails sent on completion of the form. Payments will be made as soon as we possibly can - and before 30 April for all of the businesses that have completed our online forms to date.
Councillor Michael Wilson, Leader of Havant Borough Council said:
"We, like all the other councils across the country, have had to set up a new process from scratch, which we have done as an absolute priority. It’s important that we get this process right so that the transaction is smooth and efficient with the money reaching the correct business quickly.
"Where the business rates information we hold doesn’t match the application details, these cases may take longer to process. However, the majority will be processed quickly with no further questions."
If your business is eligible, but you have not yet verified your details through our online form, please follow the relevant link on: www.havant.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support