Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has published details of its latest COVID-19 support package for care sector businesses. Tony McDonough reports
A new £5m COVID-19 fund that could benefit up to 1,700 childcare and care home businesses across Liverpool city region is launched today.
Administered by the city region’s six local authorities – Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton – the LCR Care Providers Fund is the latest pandemic support initiative from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (CA).
Adult care homes, child minders, out of school clubs, and day care nurseries/pre-school providers will be eligible for one-off grants of up to £5,000. This is the latest round of more than £40m of support provided to businesses in the city region by the CA, using the Government’s Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).
Previous grants have focused on hospitality, leisure and retail. The last grant round expanded this to include businesses who had lost 40% or more of their income. Th pandemic has also had a significant impact on childcare and care home businesses, including a fall in demand and increased costs due to creating COVID-safe environments.
Frank Rogers, chief executive of the CA, said: “Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Combined Authority and our constituent local authorities have worked together, doing everything we can to support our local businesses through what has been an enormously challenging period.
“This latest round of funding for the social care sector is about maintaining momentum in providing that support. We are ready to kickstart our economic recovery when we come out of the other side of the pandemic. Until then we will continue to support local businesses affected by the pandemic to help ensure they can stay afloat until that point.”
The LCR Care Providers Fund is available to CQC-registered adult care homes, Ofsted registered child minders, out of school clubs, and day care nurseries/pre-school providers in the Liverpool city region, who have not previously accessed funding from the Additional Restrictions Grant, and that qualify as small and micro businesses.
One-off grants are available as follows: Childminder £500; Out of school club £2,500; Day Care Nursery/pre-school provision £5,000; Care home (adults) £5,000. Businesses should visit their local authority website for more information, guidance and how to apply. The LCR Care Providers Grant closes on May 18.