Coronavirus (COVID-19): Scottish Government COVID-19 business support management information - 9 March 2021

Background

Since the start of the pandemic last spring, the Scottish Government has made available over £3 billion in business support to help mitigate the economic impacts of the virus. This Scottish Government support is in addition to the support provided by the UK Government. The Scottish Government has sought to help businesses  cope with the financial pressures arising from the pandemic, in so doing protecting the  business base and jobs as part of preparing for a stronger recovery.

This note provides up to date management information on nine sector-specific Scottish Government COVID-19 business support funds which were launched between October 2020 – February 2021 and which have now closed to applications:

• Wedding Sector Support Fund
• Scotland Pivotal Event Businesses Fund
• Culture Collective Fund
• Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund
• Grassroots Music Venue Stabilisation Fund
• Ski Centre Support Fund
• Travelling ShowPeople Fund
• Sector and DMO Operational Readiness Fund
• Youth Arts Emergency fund

Further information will be provided on the remaining business support funds as it becomes available. 

The data shows that, as of 5 March 2021, these funding schemes had made over 3,200 awards to businesses amounting to over £56 million – see Table 1. 

These funds are in addition to the £431 million which has been provided to date through the Strategic Framework Business Fund (SFBF) and hospitality, leisure and retail top up payments, £9.7 million provided via the Local Authority Discretionary Fund, over £6.2 million in Island Equivalent Payments, and £29 million paid via the Taxi and Private Hire Driver Support Fund. 

Funding Scheme	Applications Received	Applications Approved	Number of Awards Paid to date	Total Value of Awards paid to date (£ million)
Wedding Sector Support Fund	3478	2817	2808	25.8
Scotland Pivotal Event Businesses Fund	129	100	75	8.3
Culture Collective Fund	64	26	26	5.9
Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund	113	41	41	5.5
Grassroots Music Venue Stabilisation Fund	89	84	84	4.0
Ski Centre Support Fund	8	8	8	3.0
Travelling ShowPeople Fund	200	149	149	1.5
Sector and DMO Operational Readiness Fund	90	46	37	1.2
Youth Arts Emergency fund	46	38	38	0.9
Total	4217	3309	3226	56.1

Additional details on support offered:

Wedding Sector Support Fund

For businesses deriving the majority of their income through the supply to or hosting of weddings and/or civil partnerships.

Scotland Pivotal Event Business Fund

Support for event businesses whose primary role as organisers, suppliers, contractors and venues is critical to the survival of the sector in Scotland, and upon whom the wider events industry and supply chain are most reliant for their own business and operations.

Culture Collective

Provides paid opportunities for creative practitioners and organisations to work with communities in response to Covid-19.

Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund

Provided grants for food and drink businesses suffering hardship.

Grassroots Music Venue Stabilisation Fund

Supported Scottish businesses operating across the events industry facing hardship as a result of COVID-19.

Ski Centre Support Fund (For ski resorts and dry ski slopes)

For ski centres (mountain resorts and/or artificial slopes) that are of regional and or local economic importance and are experiencing financial hardship that puts the ongoing viability of the centre at risk.

Travelling Showpeople Fund

Provided one-off grants of £10,000 to support travelling show people in Scotland who normally earn at least 50% of their annual income through their work attending established funfairs.

Sector and DMO Operational Readiness Fund

Support for established Scottish Tourism Sector Groups and Destination Organisations facing funding challenges, to support core operational functions to ensure organisations are sustainable and in a position to actively promote Scotland as and when restrictions are lifted.

Youth Arts Fund

Provided creative opportunities for children and creates employment opportunities for freelance musicians and other youth arts professionals.