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Covid-19 and local government

The UK Government provided financial support for local authorities to enable them to enhance service provision during the Covid-19 pandemic, from 11 March 2020 through to the end of March 2022. This briefing paper sets out the main programmes of financial support made available.

The UK Government also provided a series of grants to businesses that were directly affected by the pandemic, in order to prevent large-scale closures of businesses. Some of these grants were distributed by local authorities, and businesses’ eligibility was determined by their position within the business rates system.

This briefing paper sets out the main sources of financial support for local authorities in England during the pandemic. It also provides details of business grants that were administered through the business rates system. This information is also provided for grants and financial support administered in Wales, by the Senedd and Welsh local authorities.

Additional information about support for businesses during the pandemic can be found in the Library research briefings Coronavirus: Support for businesses  and Coronavirus: Business loans schemes.

The paper also provides information about local authorities holding online meetings between May 2020 and May 2021. The legislative permission for local authorities in England to hold online meetings expired in May 2021. In late 2024 the Starmer administration said that it planned to introduce permanent powers for local authorities in England to hold online meetings when legislative time permits.

This briefing paper provides collated material for historical purposes only and will not be updated following publication.