Stourbridge MP Suzanne Webb has welcomed £46 billion of new government lockdown support to help retail, hospitality and leisure businesses forced to close.
The Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that one-off grants of up to £9000 will be available to each business affected by the lockdown.
The help is in addition to business rates relief and furlough – both of which have now been extended until the end of April.
Another £594m is going to councils to help enterprises outside these badly hit sectors who might need extra help.
“I am pleased the government has acted quickly to pump extra support into these sectors who simply cannot operate in lockdown and to extend existing measures so that jobs and businesses can survive to help with our recovery once the pandemic is over,” said Suzanne.
“In the West Midlands this help is vital and I also welcome the substantial sum earmarked to councils so they can use the cash to help those who are also struggling but are not in these sectors. This is a flexible move that will mean there will be fewer firms falling through the cracks.
“My agenda is jobs, jobs, jobs with private investment and government support. It will be a challenge, but the government is committed to levelling up the regions and we need to work together locally, regionally and nationally to achieve the best outcomes. The UK is full of entrepreneurial energy and innovation and we will bounce back.
“The focus now is rightly on lowering infections and saving lives but no-one wants this lockdown to go on longer than absolutely necessary, and everyone knows the damage it is doing to our economy.
"This generous government support is allowing us firm foundations that will aid the recovery once the effects of the vaccination programme start to come through.”
