Northern Ireland and Scotland launch new business grant and visitor‑levy support programmes

The Derry Strabane Local Economic Partnership, funded by the UK Department for the Economy, has opened two grant schemes for eligible businesses, social enterprises and enterprise partners in the Derry City and Strabane district. The Enterprise Partnership Fund offers £5,000‑£15,000 per project with a required 25 % match, while the Business Transformation Grants Programme provides £5,000‑£25,000 covering 70 % of eligible costs, with the remaining 30 % supplied by the applicant. Applications close at midday on 16 July 2026.

Stirling Council and Stirling Enterprise Park have created a dedicated Visitor Levy Project Implementation Lead role to assist accommodation providers ahead of a new 5 % levy on overnight stays in the Stirling area. The levy, introduced under the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024, will take effect on 14 June 2027 and apply to bookings from 1 January 2027. The implementation lead will deliver workshops, webinars and one‑to‑one support to help businesses understand registration, collection, exemptions and reporting requirements, aiming to minimise administrative burden and support the region’s visitor economy.