Moorlands businesses have been urged to apply for Coronavirus support funding, as over £4.5 million worth of business grants remains unclaimed, according to the latest statistics.

Emergency Coronavirus funding for firms will go back to the Treasury at the end of the month if it is not claimed, business leaders have said.

Four months after £12bn was released to help businesses across the country through the Coronavirus pandemic, £1.5bn remains unclaimed.

The Federation of Small Businesses warned the money was sitting in councils' bank accounts.

The latest figures by the BBC Shared Data Unit show that as of Monday, 3rd August, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has awarded £20,530,000 in business grants so far, after being allocated £25,040,000.

This means that £4,510,000 of this funding has still not been claimed.

The local authority identified a total of 2,048 businesses across the district that may be eligible to receive a grant, with 1,807 payments being made so far - meaning 241 businesses who may be eligible for grants have not yet received one.

The average sum paid to each business has been £11,361.

The deadline for the latest round of funding is Friday, 28th August. To find out more about how to apply, click here.

Federation of Small Businesses chair, Mike Cherry, urged councils to act quickly to ensure that businesses did not miss out on funding.

He said: "Small businesses have been through what for many has been and will be the most difficult period they have ever faced, and while things are slowly starting to improve, we're not out of the woods yet.

"That is why we are making this call today for small firms to apply as soon as possible so that they don't miss out on grant funding that could prevent a business from going under.

"But to access these funds, small firms rely on their local councils to distribute the money in a fast and timely manner.

"Every local authority will know that long before this crisis struck, small firms were already facing huge difficulties with major chains leaving high streets, rising business rates and soaring employment costs. This is why councils simply cannot afford to delay in getting these funds out to businesses.

"Many councils have already handed out more than 90% of their Small Business Grants which is good to see, but that means that more money remains which needs to be handed out."

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: "We are working with local councils to ensure funds get to as many eligible small business owners as possible.

"Businesses that are eligible but have not yet received grant funding should speak to their local council as soon as possible."