Businesses in Norfolk have received more than £18m to help stay afloat during the coronavirus lockdown.

South Norfolk and Broadland Council have helped more than 1,500 businesses in the two districts to apply for one of the two government grants that help to cover operational costs.

The two grants, available through the councils’ websites, are the Small Business Grant Fund, which provides £10,000 as a one-off grant to help small business owners meet their operating costs and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund, which provides £10,000 or £25,000.

Director of place, Phil Courtier, said: “This is an incredibly challenging time for our local businesses, but there is help available and we are working as quickly as possible to get that help out there.

“We have written to every business we believe is eligible for a grant. But there are many businesses we know of that have not come forward.”

For more information about the grants go to www.broadland.gov.uk or www.south-norfolk.gov.uk.