Business Resilience
Newly Self Employed Hardship Grant Application Form
This fund is open to the the recently self-employed (started trading between 5 April 2019 and 31 March 2020), who are excluded from the other forms of business support relating to COVID-19 disruption and are currently suffering hardship. Grants of up to £2,000 are potentially available through the scheme, which will remain open while limited funds permit. If you are ineligible (unable to answer YES to every question), please let us know by email businessgateway@cne-siar.gov.uk stating the reason(s) as this will provide us with useful information.
Newly Self Employed Hardship Grant Application Form (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)
Covid-19 Scottish Business Support Summary
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak all non-essential businesses must close. Read Guidance (Opens in a new window or downloads a file) on this, including which premises are permitted to remain open. Businesses permitted to remain open must follow the Government’s social distancing advice.
The Scottish Government is advising all business premises, sites and attractions to close unless:
- essential to the health and welfare of the country during this crisis; or
- supporting (or being repurposed to support) essential services; or
- capable of working in a way which is fully consistent with established social distancing advice; or
- wider public health, health and safety or other considerations apply and require a facility or service to continue to operate or a specific period of time for a safe shutdown process to be completed.
Check the latest advice and information for your business at www.gov.uk/coronavirus (Opens in a new window or downloads a file) and www.gov.scot (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)
Support for Businesses
The UK and Scottish Governments have announced a package of support to assist businesses. You can find out more at COVID-19 UK Govt Support for Business (Opens in a new window or downloads a file) and Find Business Support Scotland (Opens in a new window or downloads a file). A summary of this support is outlined in the document linked below.
Business Gateway is being responsive and reactive to the needs and challenges Scottish businesses face due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The following links provide a list of free business resources and links to funding information that may be useful to you at this difficult time:
Business Gateway Resources (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)
COVID-19 Local Business Support Scheme
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has launched a new COVID-19 Local Business Support Scheme to help businesses unable to access support from existing Scottish and UK Government business schemes.
The scheme is aimed at businesses located in the Outer Hebrides that have been unsuccessful in applying for other Government assistance.
Eligibility criteria apply so please read the scheme leaflet and, if you feel you could be eligible, please contact us on 01851 822775 or email businessgateway@cne-siar.gov.uk.
COVID-19 Local Business Support Scheme Leaflet (556.0kB) (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)
Key Website Pages Specific to Covid-19 Business Support
- UK Government (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)
- Scottish Government (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)
- Business Gateway National (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)
- Business Gateway Local Offices (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)
- Federation of Small Businesses (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)
- Scottish Chambers of Commerce (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)
- ACAS - The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Opens in a new window or downloads a file)