Archive: The funding and loan schemes below are historical. For current information, see GOV.UK business finance support.
First published in June 2020, this guide collected funding announcements and online resources for businesses.
The funding sections describe past schemes and are not current application guidance.
Funding, Grants and Loans
High Peak Borough Council – Discretionary business grant scheme
In June 2020, High Peak Borough Council announced a discretionary fund for eligible small businesses with fixed property costs that had missed earlier grants. The council said the maximum award was likely to be £10,000.
See High Peak Borough Council for current grants.
New funding to support dairy farmers
In 2020, the government announced a dairy response fund for eligible farmers in England, with payments of up to £10,000. Applications opened on 18 June and later closed on 11 September 2020. See the government announcement.
The Prince’s Trust and NatWest Enterprise Relief Fund
In 2020, the Prince’s Trust and NatWest offered grants and guidance to eligible entrepreneurs aged 18–30 through a £5 million Enterprise Relief Fund. Applications closed on 31 July 2020.
Facebook Small Business Grants
The original guide described Facebook’s small-business grant programme as announced in 2020.
Google Meet – Premium Video Meetings
The original guide included Google Meet. See Google Meet for its current plans and features.
Mailchimp
The original guide described a 2020 Mailchimp credit offer for eligible small-business customers.
Google Ad Credits
In 2020, Google announced advertising credits for eligible small and medium-sized businesses, usable until the end of 2020.
Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF).
These two English grant schemes supported eligible small businesses and retail, hospitality and leisure properties in 2020; both have closed. For the latter, properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or less could qualify for £10,000, and those valued over £15,000 but below £51,000 could qualify for £25,000. See the government’s archived guidance.
Bounce Back Loan Scheme for Small Businesses
Announced in April 2020, the scheme offered eligible businesses loans from £2,000 up to 25% of turnover, capped at £50,000. The government guarantee protected lenders; borrowers remained responsible for the debt. New applications closed on 31 March 2021. See our loan announcement for the terms and repayment information.
Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)
The scheme offered eligible smaller businesses finance of up to £5 million, with an 80% government guarantee to lenders and interest and fees covered for an initial period. It closed to new applications on 31 March 2021.
Coronavirus Future Fund
The Future Fund offered convertible loans of £125,000 to £5 million to eligible UK companies, subject to at least equal matching investment. The original September 2020 deadline was extended; the government’s archived guidance records 31 January 2021 as the later application deadline.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: financial help for business owners and employees (furloughing)
The scheme helped eligible employers pay furloughed staff, with support and eligibility changing over time. It ended on 30 September 2021.
Self Employment Income Support Scheme
The government announced a second self-employment grant in May 2020. The scheme was later extended: five grants were paid in total between May 2020 and September 2021, with eligibility and grant terms changing over time.
Other financial support
Business rate holiday
Eligible retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England received business rates relief for the 2020–21 tax year. See the government’s archived support collection.
Self Assessment Payment Deferral
Some Self Assessment payments due in July 2020 could be deferred until January 2021, as recorded in HMRC’s annual report.
VAT payment deferral
Businesses could defer VAT payments due between 20 March and 30 June 2020. Deferred VAT was not cancelled: HMRC’s later guidance explains the payment deadlines and possible penalties.
Business tools and resources
The original 2020 guide included these business tools. The descriptions below have been updated; screenshots show how some sites looked in 2020.
Jitsi – video conferencing
Jitsi in 2020; its host sign-in and meeting limits have since changed.
Jitsi Meet offers video meetings and password-protected rooms. On the hosted meet.jit.si service, the person creating a meeting needs an account; participants do not. Since October 2026, meetings on that service have been limited to 95 minutes. See Jitsi’s security information.
Pexels – free stock images
Pexels search page in 2020.
Pexels offers free photos and videos for personal and commercial use under the Pexels licence.
Unsplash – free stock images
Unsplash in 2020.
Unsplash offers a free image library under the Unsplash licence; Unsplash+ is a paid subscription with additional images.
Google training
Google Digital Garage in 2020.
Google Digital Garage is now part of Skillshop. Grow with Google lists online courses and tools, including free training and professional certificates.
Canva – online design tool
Canva in 2020.
Canva offers a free design plan and paid plans with additional features and content. See Canva’s plans and pricing for current details.
Google Docs, Sheets, Slides…an alternative to MS Office
Google Docs in 2020; the offer shown has expired.
Google Docs, Sheets and Slides offer online document, spreadsheet and presentation editing, including real-time collaboration. You can create a Google Account using an existing non-Gmail address.
Wave – online accounting software
The 2020 guide included Wave. The company now focuses on the US and Canada and says that users outside those countries can no longer send invoices or reminders through Wave. See Wave’s current guidance.
Visit Peak District & Derbyshire
Visit Peak District & Derbyshire, the area’s destination management organisation, provides marketing opportunities and business support for the visitor economy. It lists workshops and webinars.
VisitBritain
VisitBritain’s business support finder links tourism businesses to local advice and support.
Government roadmap: plans reported in 2020
In May 2020, the government set out plans for outdoor markets and car showrooms to reopen from 1 June and other non-essential shops from 15 June in England. On 9 June it confirmed the latter date, subject to safety guidance.
The earlier recovery strategy proposed reopening some other businesses no earlier than 4 July, subject to conditions. The businesses allowed to reopen on 4 July included pubs, restaurants and hairdressers; beauty salons remained closed at that point.
For current business guidance, see GOV.UK.
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