Most Guernsey businesses will stop getting government financial support when the island moves to the next phase of its lockdown exit - except for sectors severely impacted by ongoing travel restrictions.

The Civil Contingencies Authority is expected to confirm later that Guernsey will enter Stage 3 on Monday 22 March.

The island has gone 17 days without a new Covid-19 case being diagnosed.  There is just a single known active case in the island.

Stage 3 will effectively see the removal of all remaining lockdown restrictions on most businesses - enabling them to reopen or return to normal trading.

Policy & Resources says support will then stop for most sectors.

The Committee says those tourism-related businesses that will continue to be eligible for funding will do so until the end of June, when the situation will be reviewed.

The visitor accommodation sector is supported through a separate scheme which will continue for a further year.

Taxi-operators will continue to be eligible for payroll co-funding, but this will now be capped at 50% of minimum wage. 

Many sectors stopped being eligible for support on the move to Stage 2 (8 March)

P&R says these latest changes are 'a continuation of that gradual phasing out of support' and it wants businesses to be aware of them now so they are not taken by surprise 'should they attempt to submit full claims at the beginning of April'.

“Stage 3 is a big turning point for our business community as we finally come out of lockdown restrictions. We’re confident that many of those businesses that haven’t been able to trade at all, or where trade has been restricted, will be able to bounce back quickly. We know from the last lockdown there will be pent-up demand, whether in hospitality and nightlife, entertainment, recreation or retail. And we’d encourage people to go out, enjoy those services and support their local businesses.” - Deputy Mark Helyar, Treasury lead for the Policy & Resources Committee.

Any businesses with questions about the changes to the business support measures can email business.support@gov.gg or call 01481 743803.