Grants launched for Scottish mobile businesses
The Scottish government has launched the Mobile And Home Based Close Contact Services Fund, designed specifically for mobile businesses forced to close under COVID-19 trading restrictions, including those in the beauty, hair and complementary therapy sectors.
A one-off £4,000 payment will be made to businesses that qualify (£2,000 for the period to the end December 2020 and an additional £2,000 to cover the period from January 2021 onwards).
To qualify, you must operate your business primarily on a mobile basis or from home for more than 50% of the time. The fund does not cover businesses that operate exclusively from fixed premises used solely for business purposes, e.g., salons, spas or clinics. You must also have been operating your business before 17th March 2020 and have lost income as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.
Applications are open to those who are ordinarily resident in Scotland, operating in Scotland with a Scottish trading address, trade as self-employed or as a limited company registered with Companies House or HMRC.
In addition, you must not have received financial support through any of the following schemes: Strategic Framework Business Fund, Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, COVID-19 Restrictions Fund Closure and Hardship Fund, Hardship Fund for Creative Freelancers, or the Wedding Sector Support Fund. You must also have not breached any COVID regulations/requirements for businesses.
Close contact services eligibility criteria covers:
- Beauty and nail services including make-up services, nail treatments and tanning and spray-tanning
- Hair removal services including shaving, waxing, eyebrow threading and laser hair removal
- Hairdressing and barbering
- Body modification services including tattooing, piercing, micropigmentation and Botox
- Massage therapies including Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, Thai massage, scalp massage etc
- Spa and wellness services including aromatherapy, exfoliation, dermatology and skincare, facial, hydrotherapy, manicure, pedicure, reiki
- Complementary therapies including Acupuncture, Acupressure, Alexander Technique, Bowen Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy, Homeopathy, Hypnotherapy, Meditation, Reflexology, Kinesiology and Shiatsu. Osteopathy, physiotherapy and chiropractic services are not eligible for this fund as they defined as health services and have not been subject to restrictions.
Addition businesses that qualify include fashion services including dress-fitting, tailoring and personal shopping, art services including indoor photography and portrait painting, and registered driving instructors.
The deadline for applications is 16th March 2021 at 5pm. For more information and to apply, visit the Scottish government website.
