UK Government confirms an additional £155 million for Scotland

Scotland will receive an additional £155 million in funding from the UK Government to help tackle coronavirus.

UK Government minister Douglas Ross said: “The UK Government is doing whatever it takes to help people across the UK during the coronavirus crisis.

“This extra £155 million follows additional funding from the UK Government for council workers who are at the forefront of local efforts in keeping people safe and keeping public services open for those that need them the most.

“The new money for Scotland is on top of the substantial coronavirus funding package that has already been announced, meaning that Scotland will receive a total cash boost of more than £3.4 billion to help tackle coronavirus.

“We know that the current measures will remain in place for a further three weeks and people are facing many challenges. I would like to thank everyone who is following the advice to stay at home, as we protect our NHS and save lives.”

Other UK Government support available to people in Scotland includes:

• The UK military providing both the Scottish Government and the NHS with additional specialist skills and expertise
• The UK-wide PPE strategy meaning our heroic front-line workers in Scotland have the protection they need to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
• The UK Government expanding testing capacity right across the UK with centres opened recently at Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh airports.
• A £330 billion package of loans and guarantees to help UK businesses survive the economic fallout from coronavirus including:

● Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme enables any employer in the country to contact HMRC for a grant to cover 80 per cent of the salary of retained workers up to a total of £2,500 per month.

● Self-employment Income Support Scheme pays self-employed people, who have been adversely affected by Coronavirus, a taxable grant worth 80% of their average income over the last three years, up to £2,500 per month, for at least three months.

● deferring VAT and Income Tax payments so VAT-registered businesses can defer any payment due between 20th March 2020 and 30th June 2020 until a later date if they want and self-assessment tax bills due by 31st July 2020 can be deferred until 31st January 2021.

● A Statutory Sick Pay relief package will repay employers the current rate of SSP that they pay to current or former employees for periods of sickness due to coronavirus starting on or after 13th March 2020.