Source · National Audit Office

COVID-19 business grant schemes

Published: 23 Mar 2023 Recommendations: 10 Type: Value for Money NAO confirmed: 10 Department: Department for Business & Trade

This report looks at BEIS’s oversight of the schemes, its understanding of what the schemes achieved, and how well it worked with local authorities.

Dept: Department for Business & TradeDepartment for Business, Energy & Industrial StrategyHM TreasuryMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Topics: Business and industryCOVID-19Grants and fundsLocal economyLocal governmentLocal services and housingMoney and tax nao.org.uk →

Recommendations

10 items

10 accepted 10 implemented

Rec	Recommendation	Addressee	Acceptance	Implementation
1	HMT and DBT, working with local authorities, should by December 2023 draw up contingency plans to cover the provision of financial support to priority groups in the event of a future national emergency. The plans should draw upon the considerable experience gained by the departments and local authorities during the pandemic. Ref Page 10, 18 and bullet 1 · Implemented Q2 2025-26	Department for Business and Trade	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
10	The plans should include: the type of leadership, capabilities and governance arrangements that need to be in place as the emergency response evolves Ref Page 10, para 18, bullet 10 · Implemented Q4 2024-25	Department for Business and Trade	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
2	The plans should include: the responsibilities for assessing the level of economic risk, identifying potential solutions and taking action; Ref Page 10, para 18, bullet 2 · Implemented Q4 2024-25	Department for Business and Trade	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
3	The plans should include: the data sources and analysis that might be needed at speed to assess the risk, determine how support might be targeted and the quantum of support needed; Ref Page 10, para 18, bullet 3 · Implemented Q4 2024-25	Department for Business and Trade	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
4	The plans should include: the mechanisms for drawing upon local authority and departmental delivery expertise early in the design of the emergency support; Ref Page 10, para 18, bullet 4 · Implemented Q4 2024-25	Department for Business and Trade	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
5	The plans should include: the mechanisms for considering the trade-offs that may need to be made between targeting support and introducing administrative complexity; Ref Page 10, para 18, bullet 5 · Implemented Q4 2024-25	Department for Business and Trade	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
6	The plans should include: the options available for maintaining adequate control over the disbursement of public money ? reducing the risk of error and fraud as far as practicable ? whilst acting at pace; Ref Page 10, para 18, bullet 6 · Implemented Q4 2024-25	Department for Business and Trade	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
7	The plans should include: consideration of what post-payment assurance processes may be needed and what can be done to streamline this; and Ref Page 11, para 18, bullet 7 · Implemented Q4 2024-25	Department for Business and Trade	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
8	HMT should, by September 2023, commission work to consider the impact of, and benefit secured from, the range of support to business provided through the COVID-19 pandemic to inform the development of future initiatives. Ref Page 11, 19 · Implemented Q2 2025-26	HM Treasury	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO
9	The plans should include: an assessment of the level of resources required to introduce and then manage future schemes when drawing on these lessons. Ref Page 11, para 18, bullet 8 · Implemented Q4 2024-25	Department for Business and Trade	Accepted	Implemented ✓ NAO