Help on offer for the self-employed
THE PROVINCIAL government has unanimously approved a fund of €6 million to share between all 141 town halls in Alicante so they can help self-employed residents.
“The aim is to inject liquidity into local economies to compensate for the damage they are suffering and prevent, as much as possible, businesses having to close and unemployment increasing,” said deputy for economic development Sebastián Cañadas.
The fund will be distributed to municipalities according to population, and local authorities will handle how the money is awarded to beneficiaries. The aid can be used to cover expenses such as rent for commercial premises, financial advice, utility bills, and loan repayments for places of businesses or commercial vehicles, amongst others.
They do not exclude Mutua association members or seasonal self-employed workers, pointed out deputy for infrastructures Javier Gutiérrez of Ciudadanos.
To qualify, beneficiaries must have suspended their activity due to the state of emergency or otherwise have seen their turnover for the month previous to the application reduced by 50% compared to the monthly average from the six months before the pandemic started.
The maximum sum per applicant is €2,000 and this can cover expenses from March 1 up to whatever date each town hall sets as its deadline for applications.
Cash from Catral
Catral town hall last week approved the conditions for aid it is offering to help the self-employed and small businesses meet their obligations, maintain their activity and mitigate their drastic drop in income.
The aid can be used to pay fees for rubbish collection, hostelry establishment street terraces, and bills for electricity, water, gas and telecommunications for their place of work (home, office or commercial premises).
It can also be used for rent or mortgage payments for this place of work, or for expenses derived from loans or consumer credit taken out for their business.
Other legitimate expenses covered include food, social security payments (for the selfemployed), insurance premiums linked to business activity, personal protective equipment (for the self-employed), licences to use computer programs that enable working from home or online trading, financial advisor charges, and Mutua association fees.
Pay-outs also include €600 for businesses that have had to close and €300 for those whose income has dropped by at least 50%.
A total fund of €109,000 is available and applications can be presented between June 1 and 12. For more information see the town hall website, www.catral.es