Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a grant scheme for solicitors firms which are ineligible for business rates relief and do not qualify for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme or Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

The Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency including almost £300 billion of guarantees – equivalent to 15% of UK GDP. Solicitors firms may be eligible for the Discretionary Grant Scheme in England. This has made up to £617m of additional funding available to Local Authorities to enable them to make payments of up to £25,000 to businesses which have been excluded from the existing grants schemes. Local Authorities have received guidance regarding which kinds of businesses should be considered a priority. Local Authorities may also choose to pay grants to businesses according to local economic need, so long as businesses meet the following criteria:

• They face ongoing fixed building-related costs
• They can demonstrate that they have suffered a significant fall in income due to COVID-19
• They have fewer than 50 employees;
• They were trading on or before 11th March

Solicitors firms, along with other businesses, may also benefit from the other government support measures. The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, and how to apply -https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder.