Steelworkers and their families impacted by the closure of the last blast furnace at Tata’s Port Talbot steelworks can access a new UK Government fund.
The workers will be helped to start up new businesses with the new multimillion-pound fund.
In September, it was confirmed that nearly 2,000 jobs will be lost at the Port Talbot plant following the furnace closure.
Now, Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has announced another £13m from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board. This will provide non-repayable grants of up to £10,000 for workers, families and businesses affected by the closure of the blast furnaces.
As well as the business start-up fund, two more new support schemes targeted directly at firms in Port Talbot. Businesses in the Tata supply chain will be funded by the next £13m, with non-payable grants of £2,500-£250,000 available.
It is the second announcement of funding and follows the £13.5m to support supply chain businesses find new markets and workers affected to re-train announced in August.
The Welsh Secretary made the announcement after chairing her third meeting as chair of the Transition Board on Thursday (14 November)
There are three parts to the new fund launched by the Welsh Secretary which are a business start-up fund, new business growth fund, and a business resilience fund.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said: “As a government we are determined the Transition Board delivers for the steelworkers of Port Talbot, for the region’s businesses and for the community.
“This remains a really difficult time for workers in Port Talbot and their families. Many of them will have aspirations to set up their own businesses or become self employed and the £13m released today will provide vital backing for them to make their plans a reality.
“We said we would back workers and businesses affected by the transition at Port Talbot and we are doing so with more than £26m announced since July.”
Neath Port Talbot Council leader Cllr Steve Hunt said: “I keenly welcome the announcement of these funding packages to support both start-ups and existing businesses across our community. The steelworks have been a lynchpin for our economy for over a century and so changes on this scale impact not only directly-affected workers at Tata Steel, but many other closely connected companies.
“Steel will remain very important to Port Talbot moving forwards, but it is also critical that as a Transition Board we enable enterprise across a range of sectors to respond to current circumstances and to opportunities such as the Celtic Freeport.”
This post was originally published on here
