Coronavirus Support

Business Support Grant Funds

Coronavirus Small Business Grant Fund

The Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) supports small and rural businesses in England with their business costs during coronavirus.

You’re eligible if your business:

You cannot get funding for:

  • properties occupied for personal uses, such as private stables, beach huts and moorings
  • car parks and parking spaces

The small business grant counts towards the total de minimis state aid you’re allowed to get over a 3 year period.

Your local council will ask you to complete a de minimis declaration confirming that you will not exceed the de minimis state aid threshold of €200,000.

If you exceed the de minimis threshold you may still be eligible for funding under the COVID-19 Temporary Framework.

You do not need to take any action. If you’re an eligible business, your local council will contact you and provide details of how to claim.

Contact your local council if you think you’re eligible for a grant but have not yet received it.

The grant will be paid to the person registered as the ratepayer for the property as of 11 March 2020.

You do not have to pay the grant back but it will be taxable. Only businesses which make an overall profit once grant income is included will be subject to tax.

For further information on the Coronavirus Small Business Grant Fund, visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-youre-eligible-for-the-coronavirus-small-business-grant-fund

Coronavirus Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund

The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) supports businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors with their business costs during coronavirus.

If your business has a property with a rateable value of £15,000 or under, you may be eligible for a grant of £10,000.

If your business has a property that has a rateable value of over £15,000 but less than £51,000, you may be eligible for a grant of £25,000.

You’re eligible if your business:

  • is based in England
  • is in the retail, hospitality or leisure sector
  • had a rateable value of under £51,000 on 11 March 2020

Properties eligible for the grant will be those that are wholly or mainly being used as a hospitality, retail, or leisure venue, such as a:

  • shop
  • restaurant, café, bar or pub
  • cinema or live music venue
  • estate agent or letting agency
  • assembly or leisure property – for example, a bingo hall, a sports club, a gym or spa
  • hospitality property – for example, a hotel, a guest house or self-catering accommodation

You do not need to take any action. If you’re an eligible business, your local council will contact you and provide details of how to claim.

Contact your local council if you think you’re eligible for a grant but have not yet received it.

The grant will be paid to the person registered as the ratepayer for the property as of 11 March 2020.

You do not have to pay the grant back but it will be taxable. Only businesses which make an overall profit once grant income is included will be subject to tax.

For further information on the Coronavirus Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund, visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-youre-eligible-for-the-coronavirus-retail-hospitality-and-leisure-grant-fund

Coronavirus Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund

The Discretionary Grant Fund supports small and micro businesses that are not eligible for other grant schemes.

Small and micro businesses with fixed property costs that are not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund may be eligible for the Discretionary Grants Scheme.

You can get a grant of £25,000, £10,000 or any amount under £10,000.

You may be eligible if your business:

  • is based in England
  • has relatively high ongoing fixed property-related costs
  • occupies property (or part of a property) with a rateable value or annual mortgage/rent payments below £51,000
  • was trading on 11 March 2020

You will need to show that your business has suffered a significant fall in income due to coronavirus.

We’ve asked local councils to prioritise businesses such as:

  • small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces, such as units in industrial parks or incubators
  • regular market traders
  • bed and breakfasts paying council tax instead of business rates
  • charity properties getting charitable business rates relief, which are not eligible for small business rates relief or rural rate relief

Local councils have discretion about how to prioritise this funding. Please check with your council for details of their scheme.

You cannot apply if your business is in administration, insolvent or has received a striking-off notice.

For further information on the Coronavirus Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund, visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-the-coronavirus-local-authority-discretionary-grants-fund

SITE UPDATE