£1,500 Grant for Taxi and Private Hire Drivers - Council Update

19th January 2021

The Scottish Government has launched a £1,500 grant scheme to assist each individual licensed taxi or private hire driver with their fixed costs including licence plate fees, rental fees and insurance payments for taxis not on the road.

The Highland Council's Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Trish Robertson said: "The Highland Council has been asked by the Scottish Government to deliver this grant scheme on their behalf. We will shortly be writing out to all eligible driver licensees to brief them on this grant and to invite them to apply and provide us with the required information. In the meantime, drivers do not need to do anything as we will be in touch with them."

She added: "As with all of the grant schemes we deliver on behalf of the Scottish Government, we ask that drivers take time and ensure they provide us with the right information requested. This then enables us to quickly process their application and the grant out to them."

To be eligible for this financial assistance taxi or private hire drivers must:

be licensed for the period 9 October 2020 to at least 31 January 2021;

have experienced loss of income (50% of turnover, compared with 2019) and incurred overhead costs and expenses;

confirm that they are or have been working or available for work as a taxi or private hire driver up to 31 December 2020;

confirm that they are not in receipt of state benefits payments (Universal Credit, Statutory Sick Pay, Employment and Support Allowance, Job Seekers' Allowance, Income Support) or have applied for but not yet started receiving Universal Credit at the time of applying.

·not have breached wider COVID regulations/requirements prior to local restrictions.

Details of the grant scheme and full eligibility criteria are available on the Scottish Government website