BUSINESSES in retail, hospitality and leisure will receive new grants to help them keep afloat until spring, BrItish Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said.
The grants will be worth up to £9,000 per property, the Treasury says.
The help is in addition to business rates relief and the furlough scheme which has been extended until the end of April.
Separately, £594m will be made available to affected firms outside these sectors, Mr Sunak said.
In total, the package of measures is worth £4.6 billion.
Of that, £729 million will shared between the North of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
All non-essential shops, leisure and entertainment venues are now closed with pubs and restaurants allowed to offer takeaway food only.
“This will help businesses to get through the months ahead – and crucially it will help sustain jobs, so workers can be ready to return when they are able to reopen,” said Mr Sunak.
