Thousands of businesses are still waiting for crucial emergency financial support to help weather the coronavirus crisis, according to data gathered by the BBC Shared Data Unit.
As concerns grew over the economic impact of lockdown, on 17 March the government announced emergency grants to help support small and rural businesses, as well as retailers.
The lump sums of £10,000 through the Small Business Grant Fund and £25,000 through the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund, were intended to help minimise disruption to cash flows. Over a month later, only half the money promised has been distributed to SMEs identified by local authorities.
Whilst those who have received the grant say it can ‘make all the difference’, but thousands of small business owners are facing tough decisions while waiting for the money to come through.
A microbusiness owner who is waiting on funds said he had invested £50,000 of his own money to pay suppliers and the impact of the delay was ‘catastrophic’.
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) National Chair Mike Cherry said: “For many small businesses, access to these grants will decide the fate of their futures, and it’s excellent to see so many local authorities across England getting the money into the hands of those who need it most.
“Some councils have already handed out more than 80% of their grants, with a handful already reaching or about to reach 100%.
“However other areas barely 10-20% of the grants have been issued, it’s those areas that must act now if they want to see small businesses survive on their local high streets when we reach the other side of this crisis.
The data is taken from the government monitoring statistics, with proportional calculations from the unit and amendments for Rutland County Council.
Here are the statistics for London borough:
| Local Authority | Initial funding allocation | Number of (businesses) that the local authority has identified may be in scope to receive a grant as at 19 Apil | Number of grant payments made to hereditaments (businesses) as at 19 April | Value of payments (£) | % businesses paid | % amount paid | Average sum paid |
| London Borough of Harrow | £42,216,000 | 3320 | 464 | £8,510,000 | 13.98 | 20.16 | £18,341 |
| London Borough of Ealing | £68,212,000 | 5000 | 4170 | £56,160,000 | 83.40 | 82.33 | £13,468 |
| London Borough of Richmond | £41,610,000 | 2900 | 1872 | £31,590,000 | 64.55 | 75.92 | £16,875 |
| London Borough of Islington | £57,768,000 | 3618 | 2606 | £43,535,000 | 72.03 | 75.36 | £16,706 |
| London Borough of Merton | £29,318,000 | 2052 | 1494 | £20,280,000 | 72.81 | 69.17 | £13,574 |
| London Borough of Wandsworth | £58,192,000 | 4200 | 2469 | £40,035,000 | 58.79 | 68.80 | £16,215 |
| London Borough of Sutton | £28,160,000 | 2009 | 1470 | £18,840,000 | 73.17 | 66.90 | £12,816 |
| London Borough of Enfield | £50,182,000 | 3512 | 2230 | £33,535,000 | 63.50 | 66.83 | £15,038 |
| London Borough of Greenwich | £36,852,000 | 2862 | 1910 | £23,855,000 | 66.74 | 64.73 | £12,490 |
| London Borough of Southwark | £70,062,000 | 3863 | 2852 | £42,050,000 | 73.83 | 60.02 | £14,744 |
| London Borough of Tower Hamlets | £78,818,000 | 5770 | 3171 | £47,160,000 | 54.96 | 59.83 | £14,872 |
| London Borough of Camden | £70,150,000 | 4353 | 1755 | £42,090,000 | 40.32 | 60.00 | £23,983 |
| London Borough of Newham | £58,660,000 | 4217 | 1899 | £28,500,000 | 45.03 | 48.59 | £15,008 |
| London Borough of Hackney | £64,622,000 | 4598 | 1972 | £30,205,000 | 42.89 | 46.74 | £15,317 |
| London Borough of Redbridge | £49,612,000 | 3636 | 1439 | £23,000,000 | 39.58 | 46.36 | £15,983 |
| London Borough of Barnet | £65,756,000 | 4259 | 1759 | £30,340,000 | 41.30 | 46.14 | £17,248 |
| London Borough of Havering | £40,532,000 | 2776 | 1392 | £18,660,000 | 50.14 | 46.04 | £13,405 |
| London Borough of Lambeth | £57,500,000 | 3892 | 1839 | £25,500,000 | 47.25 | 44.35 | £13,866 |
| City of London | £14,740,000 | 1338 | 352 | £6,505,000 | 26.31 | 44.13 | £18,480 |
| London Borough of Brent | £64,386,000 | 4411 | 1832 | £27,905,000 | 41.53 | 43.34 | £15,232 |
| London Borough of Hillingdon | £45,756,000 | 3321 | 1264 | £18,175,000 | 38.06 | 39.72 | £14,379 |
| London Borough of Barking and Dagenham | £26,938,000 | 2029 | 654 | £9,555,000 | 32.23 | 35.47 | £14,610 |
| London Borough of Bexley | £36,438,000 | 2715 | 1047 | £12,855,000 | 38.56 | 35.28 | £12,278 |
| London Borough of Croydon | £60,588,000 | 4218 | 1386 | £20,100,000 | 32.86 | 33.17 | £14,502 |
| London Borough of Waltham Forest | £54,066,000 | 3624 | 1083 | £16,755,000 | 29.88 | 30.99 | £15,471 |
| London Borough of Hounslow | £36,520,000 | 2541 | 666 | £11,085,000 | 26.21 | 30.35 | £16,644 |
| London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham | £49,208,000 | 2874 | 789 | £14,715,000 | 27.45 | 29.90 | £18,650 |
| London Borough of Lewisham | £47,004,000 | 3643 | 1052 | £13,970,000 | 28.88 | 29.72 | £13,279 |
| London Borough of Bromley | £52,482,000 | 3316 | 870 | £14,760,000 | 26.24 | 28.12 | £16,966 |
| London Borough of Haringey | £56,312,000 | 5947 | 719 | £12,125,000 | 12.09 | 21.53 | £16,864 |
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Lesly#1
we are struggling as a business under harrow council, they are not helping us at all. if any one from council reads this please contact us . our website is : http://www.fctraining.org