Deloitte Backs Businesses Hit by Riots

Deloitte has joined a coalition of the UK’s leading companies and local authorities which has created a £3m fund to give financial assistance to smaller businesses affected by this month’s riots.

The High Street Fund is offering money and support services from participating businesses who also include Barclays, BP, Capita and Lloyds Banking Group. The initiative has the backing of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who has contributed £500,000, and is appealing for other companies to come onboard.

The Fund will offer emergency financial assistance to small businesses that suffered disruption, damage or destruction in the urban riots of August. To qualify for funding, business owners will need to explain what has happened to their business, how it happened, and how assistance from the fund will help get them back on their feet.

David Cruickshank, chairman of Deloitte, said: ‘From freeing up our employees to assist in the clean-up operation in Manchester to providing a team to work pro bono on establishing and managing the High Street Fund, we aim to play our part in helping get small businesses across the UK back up and running. We hope that other businesses will lend their support to this important initiative.’