HIGH street firms in Warrington fighting to survive are beginning to receive grants totalling up to £25,000 and will be exempt from business rates.

It forms part of a £22 billion business support package from the Government in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.

As part of a raft of unprecedented measures announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak to support those affected by the pandemic, eligible properties, including those in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, will not pay business rates for the next 12 months.

The measure came into force yesterday, Wednesday, and are being tipped to save firms across England £11 billion.

The smallest businesses who are exempt from business rates are also beginning to receive one-off grants.

Welcoming the news, Warrington South Tory MP Andy Carter said: “We have some truly fantastic independent shops, bars and restaurants here in Warrington.

“These businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, so this package announced by the Chancellor is most welcome to help support them in these times.

“The borough council are administering the scheme and have launched a portal for firms to provide their bank details, so payments can be made as quickly as possible via warrington.gov.uk.”

Mr Sunak said high street businesses are at the ‘core of what keeps our economy thriving’.

An early payment of £3.4 billion was made to local authorities last week to ensure grants would get to companies as soon as possible.

The Conservatives say Labour-run Warrington Borough Council has paid £2.8 million in grants to 160 businesses already this week.

The business rates holiday, which also applies to England’s nurseries, forms part of the Government’s economic response to Covid-19.

Mike Cherry, national chairman at The Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Many small businesses across England in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors alongside nurseries, estate and letting agents and bingo halls, will be very pleased that the one-year business rates holiday has started.

“This intervention combined with the quick delivery of grants for those small businesses eligible for the expanded retail discount and the 700,000 small businesses in receipt of small business rates relief and rural rate relief, could be the difference between surviving this crisis or folding.”