News and Events

HELP FOR FLOOD HIT BUSINESSES

Grants of up to £2,500 are being made available to help Kent businesses recover from the recent floods.

The support, which is being provided by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), aims to help the area's directly-affected businesses survive the immediate aftermath of the disaster they have faced.

To apply for the grant, companies need to contact Business Link on 0845 600 9006.

The grants must be used to support the operating costs of affected businesses and will typically be used to pay for items such as:

• Specialist advice and consultancy (e.g. business recovery planning)
• Costs of alternative premises
• Supply chain disruption (excluding replacement stock)

Paying for damage to buildings and products normally covered by insurance will not be included within the scheme.

Business Link said: "This grant is available to help businesses with fewer than 250 employees get through the short-term problems they face while planning for their longer term recovery. Companies needing help will also be directed to specialist advice, and can access a guide on how to protect their business, at www.businesslink.gov.uk/flooding."

SEEDA Executive Director, Jeff Alexander, added: "We are still in the process of assessing the impact of the flooding on businesses but we wanted to be ready to offer support straight away."

For information on the support available to flood-affected businesses, call Business Link on 0845 600 9006 or visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/southeast.