Event industry support fund 3: equality impact assessment

Grant Overview

In December 2021 the Scottish Government announced £19.8 million of funding to help those in the events sector who had been impacted by measures introduced to combat the omicron variant of COVID-19 from December 2021 – March 2022.^[1] A further £2 million of support was announced in February 2022, taking the total funding to £21.8 million.

This funding is to be used as follows:

To support Scottish businesses in the events industry, and particularly those in the supply chain that are facing hardship as a result of having events postponed or cancelled.

To support a marketing campaign to support public confidence returning to events

£2.2 million to provide additional funding to VisitScotland's existing National and International funding programme.

This EQIA sets out equalities considerations for the Omicron Events Sector Open Fund (EISF 3) only.

Eligibility^[2]

This Fund is for businesses in the events industry, which have not previously received event-related COVID-19 business support funding, which are still trading and operating, and which have suffered a financial loss due to the cancellation or restriction of events in Scotland between 8 December 2021 and 31 March 2022 due to Omicron restrictions (the "Events Disruption Period"). The reasons for this may be, but are not limited to, one of the following:

The business was not established or trading until after 2019/2020.

The business was unable to provide the financial evidence required to receive previous events sector COVID-19 support, for example due to being a new business and unable to provide published accounts for the required time period.

The business has had a change in ownership.

The business did not previously meet the 25% earnings threshold.

This Fund is open to the self-employed (through limited company or as a sole trader), partnerships and incorporated businesses. Businesses must have a place of business in Scotland, or be physically operating in Scotland in order to deliver or supply to the cancelled or restricted events.

Businesses that were previously ineligible will be required to clearly demonstrate and provide evidence that they are actively operating in the events sector in Scotland, and will be required to provide detailed and verified/certified financial information in order that the scale and turnover/earnings of the business can be assessed.

The award is calculated based on the annual earnings declared by the applicant, and the date(s) when the cancelled or restricted events were due to take place either in Period 1 (8 Dec 2021 to 31 Jan 2022), or in Period 2 (1 Feb 2022 to 31 March 2022), or in both Periods (which would result in 2 payments). The maximum award for each tranche is £50,000, so events businesses can receive a maximum of £100,000.

Annual Turnover from Events – (£) Payment in Period 1 - for event(s) cancelled 8/12/2021 to 31/1/2022 Payment in Period 2 - for event(s) cancelled 1/2/2022 to 31/3/2022

10,000 – 24,999 £2,000 £2,000

25,000 – 49,999 £3,500 £3,500

50,000 – 99,999 £5,000 £5,000

100,000 – 499,999 £10,000 £10,000

500,000 – 999,999 £25,000 £25,000

1,000,000+ £50,000 £50,000