Government extends support to stop business evictions this year

The government has extended support to prevent business evictions until the end of 2020, providing commercial tenants with greater security and protecting vital jobs.

These measures are on top of the wider ranging financial package provided by the UK government, backed by £160 billion, to protect jobs, incomes and business throughout and beyond this pandemic.

The government is clear that where businesses can pay their rent, they should do so, as this support is aimed to those businesses struggling the most during the pandemic.

This move will help those businesses most in need of additional support to remain in their premises without the threat of eviction for the rest of this year, giving them the chance to focus on rebuilding their business over the autumn and Christmas period.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said:

“During this particularly challenging time for businesses, it is crucial that both landlords and tenants have the clarity and reassurance they need to build back better from the pandemic.

Extending the temporary measures, we put in place earlier this year to protect businesses from the threat of eviction will give them some much-needed breathing space at a critical moment in the UK’s economic recovery.”

This extension will protect businesses that are struggling to pay their rent due to the impact of COVID-19 from being evicted and help the thousands of people working in these sectors feel more secure about their jobs.

The government will also extend the restriction on landlords using Commercial Rents Arrears Recovery (CRAR) to enforce unpaid rent on commercial leases, until the end of the year.