Businesses could qualify for grants of up to £3,000 following an extension of a council's Covid-19 support scheme.

Gravesham Borough Council has extended the application deadline for discretionary grants designed to help local businesses through the current restrictions until January.

Under the Additional Restrictions Support Grant scheme, local businesses and charitable organisations that are either not registered for Business Rates and have been required to close during lockdown between November 5 and December 2, or who are able to show they have been severely impacted during the same period, could qualify for grants of between £500 and £3,000.

These are in addition to the Local Restrictions Support Grant scheme.

Since both schemes opened in November, Gravesham council has been able to support a total of 467 businesses with grants totalling just over £700,000.

Leader of the council, Cllr John Burden, said: "With the festive season upon us, we remain committed to getting much needed financial support grants out to local businesses who are being forced to close again after what feels such a short period of trading since November's lockdown.

"Gravesham's micro business community is also a really important part of our local economy and we have designed our discretionary schemes to assist home-based businesses and contractors that have been flourishing in recent years.

"Throughout the pandemic, our aim has been to get the various support grants out to our businesses as quickly and with as little fuss and admin as possible.

"Grant payments will be made from the early part of January.

"We are also making Christmas Support Payments to 'wet-led' pubs as a matter of urgency."

Applications for the Additional Restrictions Support Grant scheme are now open until noon on Friday, January 8.

Details of support available to local businesses is available here.

Read more: All the latest news from Gravesend