Pay outs to help small businesses and self-catering accommodation in the Highlands through the coronavirus lockdown has now reached nearly £50million.
Support available for firms across the north was recently expanded with owners of holiday properties available to access additional money.
Now Highland Council has revealed 4,359 businesses have benefitted from grants totalling £48.9million to date.
Some charities are also now able to take advantage from the scheme with £10,000 grants.
Trish Robertson, chairwoman of the council’s economy and infrastructure committee, said: “We are keen to ensure that as many Highland businesses as possible who qualify for the grant, apply for and benefit from it.
“I therefore urge businesses to go onto the council’s website and follow the links to the guidance and application form.”
Allan Maguire, the council’s head of development and regeneration, said: “When an application is now submitted with all the required information provided, businesses are receiving grant in their bank account within 10 working days.
“If an applicant does not provide the required bank evidence, or if the grant is for a self-catering property and they do not provide the additional income and booking evidence, unfortunately this delays payment. We have contacted all of the businesses involved and ask that they promptly get the required information back to us, so we can complete the assessment of their application and get the grant paid to them.”
