THE two North-East constituencies which received the most in the first round of Covid-19 support for the self-employed were both in rural Northumberland.
The first tranche in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), covering up to 80 per cent of average monthly profits, closed for applications in mid-July.
Government figures suggest that a total of £31.1million across 11,000 grants was paid out in Northumberland up to the end of July.
The split across the county’s four constituencies was as follows: Berwick – 3,300 grants totalling £9.8million; Blyth Valley – 2,200 and £5.8million; Hexham – 3,400 and £9.9million; Wansbeck – 2,100 and £5.6million.
The payout figures for Berwick and Hexham were the highest of the region’s 29 constituencies.
However, the figures also showed that the take-up rate in Northumberland of 75 per cent of the potentially eligible population was the lowest proportion of the 12 local authorities in the North East.
The second and final taxable grant is worth 70 per cent of average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering three months’ worth of profits, and capped at £6,570 in total. Applications remain open.
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