Taxi drivers in Scotland to receive £1500 cash grant

Taxi drivers across Scotland are being offered a new cash grant of £1500 to support them following a large drop in passenger numbers due to local lockdown restrictions.

More than 35,000 drivers are set to benefit from the new funding that will cover costs such as insurance payments for vehicles not on the road and licence fees during lockdown.

Passenger numbers have fallen dramatically in Scotland since lockdown restrictions were implemented. Due to the closures of restaurants, cinemas, nightclubs and other entertainment and leisure venues, taxi drivers have lost a reported 75% of their normal revenues.

The new scheme will be available to drivers that have had been licensed from 9 October 2020 to 31 January 2021.

Local authorities will be able to directly offer the funding through the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 Public Transport Mitigation Fund – among one of several support schemes for workers affected by lockdown restrictions.