Communities and businesses across Berkshire have benefited from £378 million in government funding since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, helping to support some of the most vulnerable people, alongside the sectors that have been hardest hit.

In total, the Government has announced over £27 billion for local communities since the start of March. This includes billions of pounds in grants for small businesses and business rates reliefs for industries such as hospitality and leisure that have not been able to operate during lockdown.

As part of this, local authorities across England have received an unprecedented level of additional support, sharing £3.2 billion in direct grants of which £45 million has gone to Berkshire, and a further £600 million to help prevent transmission in care settings. This has meant local councils have had the resources they need to respond to any additional pressures created by coronavirus and been able to continue providing essential services, such as adult social care and children’s services.

Commenting, James Sunderland said:

“The scale of the Government’s support for people in Berkshire is very welcome and without question above and beyond what many would have expected when this crisis begun.

“Whether it’s the additional funding for councils or direct support to protect businesses that are vital for local jobs and our communities, this has already made a massive difference to the lives of many people and businesses in the Bracknell constituency, and I’m confident the Government will continue to do whatever it can to help our community get through this difficult period and to rebuild for the future.”

Commenting, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said:

“We said at the start of the pandemic that we would make sure our councils and communities had the resources they need to respond to the coronavirus, and that’s exactly what we have done.

“In total, we have provided over £27 billion to help local communities weather this difficult period, providing additional financial support in the form of grants, business rates relief and direct support for councils on a scale that is unprecedented in living memory.

“Council workers across the country are working tirelessly to ensure this support gets to where it needs to be, helping local people and businesses to navigate this difficult period. They are the unsung heroes of this crisis and we are all incredibly grateful for the huge contribution they are making to their communities.”