Facilities operated by charities may now be eligible for £10,000 from the Small Business Grant Scheme

Community halls and day centres could be set for a much needed financial boost.

Properties occupied by charities can now apply for the £10,000 Small Business Grant Scheme to help with pressures caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The extension of the scheme is expected to result in up to £31 million being made available to more than 3,000 small properties occupied by charities – including day centres, workshops and halls. It will apply to properties which are in receipt of any charitable rate relief or sports relief, but are otherwise eligible for the small business bonus scheme.

Finance secretary Kate Forbes, said: “Our package of business support is under constant review as we look for improvements that can be made to existing schemes, or any gaps we are able to fill.

“It had become clear that many charities which run small premises, such as day centres and halls, had been hit hard by loss of revenue during the pandemic. This is particularly pressing for small and medium-sized charities which deliver health and social care support, and are heavily reliant on income from their retail operations.

“In order to support these vital charities we have therefore taken the decision to open up the Small Business Grant Scheme to allow them to apply for grants of £10,000 on the first eligible property and £7,500 on any additional eligible properties.”

The Small Business Grant Scheme is administered by local authorities and organisations can apply for the scheme through their local council.