Additional support for businesses impacted by the Omicron variant was welcomed just before Christmas by Bath & North East Somerset Council – which is now waiting on further detail before it can set up payment arrangements.

Deputy Council Leader and cabinet member for resources, Councillor Richard Samuel, said: “This will be welcome news for so many businesses, particularly in hospitality, which have been so badly hit by the rapid rise in Covid due to the Omicron variant.

“However, we now have to wait for the detail and when we know that we’ll work to set up arrangements as soon as we possibly can.”

The Government has announced:

• Businesses in the hospitality and leisure

sectors in England will be eligible for one-off grants of up to £6,000 per premises, plus more than £100 million discretionary funding will be made available for local authorities to support other businesses

• Government will also cover the cost of Statutory Sick Pay for Covid-related absences for small and medium-sized employers across the UK

• £30 million further funding will be made available through the Culture Recovery Fund, enabling more cultural organisations in England to apply for support during the winter.