U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Announces £1 Billion to Help Businesses Affected by Omicron

U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has announced a £1 billion plan to help businesses impacted by the Omicron variant, including theatres and cinemas, Variety reports.

Businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors in England will be eligible for grants of up to £6,000. Eligible candidates include cinemas, pubs, hotels, restaurants and amusement parks.

The government is also allocating an additional £100 million to local authorities.

An additional £30 million in funding will be available through the Culture Recovery Fund, which supports theaters, orchestras and museums.

"We recognize that the spread of the Omicron variant means businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors are facing huge uncertainty, at a crucial time," said Sunak. "So we're stepping in with £1 billion of support, including a new grant scheme, the reintroduction of the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme and further funding released through the Culture Recovery Fund."

He went on to urge everyone to get boosted now.

Read more on Variety.