Steve Rotheram announces £15m Covid-19 business support fund

Metro Mayor of Liverpool City Region has announced plans for £15m to support businesses and the community and voluntary sector through the Coronavirus pandemic.

The support which is being redirected from existing Combined Authority projects will include £5m to support businesses accessing national government funds, further flexibility for local authorities to use the £6m Town Centres Fund to support local high streets, as well as the launch of two short-term intensive support programmes which will support SMEs across a variety of sectors.

In his announcement later today, Steve Rotheram is expected to say:

“We are locked in a battle with Coronavirus on many fronts. This is not just a medical emergency, but a health and social one too.

“Right now, in addition to protecting lives and supporting frontline workers, I’m focussed on helping local businesses get the support that they need to secure their futures as well as those of their staff.

“I know that there are still gaps in support for too many businesses, but we are doing all that we can to help. There is no manual for dealing with a pandemic on this scale.

“Today, we’re bringing forward £15m of funding to help local businesses access the financial support and advice that is key to their immediate survival.

“As our region recovers from this – and it will – I want to use the lessons from this crisis to help shape the fairer, more inclusive economy and society that we are trying to build.”

[**Yesterday, the Metro Mayor announced funding support of £400,000 to support the city's creative industry.**](http://Steve Rotheram announces £400,000 of funding to support city)