Grants & funding

COVID-19 - Business funding and grants support

The Government has requested that we administer and pay Coronavirus Local Restrictions Grant to businesses.

We are in the process of launching the Local Restrictions Grant Scheme (for businesses closed from 26 December) and the application will be coming shortly.

We are awaiting government guidance on further support as a result of the national lockdown and more details on these will be published on this page.

Please contact BusinessGrants@hart.gov.uk with any queries.

Local Restrictions Grant Scheme (Tier 4 support from 26 December, details to come)

We have not yet received final guidance from central government, funding or allocations,however our approach to payment of support is set out below.

You can apply for a grant if your business is in an area of local Tier 4 restrictions and has been required to close because of local restrictions.

If you successfully applied for a business support grant because you were forced to close in the November lockdown, then you do not need to reapply for this grant. We are loading all previous organisations paid onto our systems for automatic payment. We are expecting funding to be paid to us on Monday 18 January and final payment checks will be carried out according to guidance after that date, allowing payments to be made. Please note that it will take up to ten days to make all payments under this scheme due to the volume of checking required and payments take five working days to clear. When your payment has left the Council’s bank account, you will be contacted.

If you did not receive a grant in November you will need to demonstrate to the Council that your business is:

Is Based in England
Occupies a property on which is pays business rates
Has been required to close for at least 14 days because of the restrictions
Has been unable to provide its usual in person customer service from its premises

You cannot get funding if:

You can continue to operate during the period of restrictions because you do not depend on providing direct-in-person services from your premises (for example, accountants).
Local restrictions are introduced for less than 14 days or you are closed for less than 14 days.
You have chosen to close but are not required to close
Your business has been subject to national closures since 23 March 2020 such as nightclubs.
Your business is in administration, insolvent, subject to a striking-off notice or has been struck off the Companies House register
You have exceeded the permitted state aid threshold

The Council is currently exploring how we can make payments automatically to all those who have previously received Local Restrictions Grant Scheme.

We cannot make automatic payments to those businesses who received Discretionary (ARG) grant in the previous round before Christmas.

If your business has a property with a rateable value of £15,000 or less, you may be eligible for a cash grant of £667 for every 14 days your business is closed.

If your business has a property with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000 you may be eligible for a cash grant of £1,000 for each 14 day period your business is closed.

If your business has a property with a rateable value of greater than £51,000 then you may be eligible for a cash grant of £1,500 for each 14 day period your business is closed.

The E-form will be placed in this section week commencing 18 January. E-forms will be processed as soon as they are received, but please be aware that significant pre-payment checks are required which the Council must comply with before payments can be made.

We cannot make automatic payments to those businesses who received the Additional Discretionary Grant (ARG) in the previous round before Christmas. New applications will need to be made.

Open schemes:

Additional Restrictions Grant (Phase 2)

The Additional Restrictions Grant (Phase 2) has been introduced to support those who are ineligible for the Restrictions Support Grant (for closed businesses).

Eligible businesses are able to apply for a grant of £1,300.

Businesses who received funding under the previous ARG scheme, may apply again.

Who can benefit from the scheme?

Businesses that are legally required to close, but do not pay business rates
Businesses that are not legally required to close, but have been severely impacted by new restrictions

Who is ineligible?

As per the government guidance, a business is ineligible for this scheme if it:

Was not trading immediately prior to 4 November 2020
Is in administration, is insolvent or a striking-off notice has been made, and/or
Has already received grant payments that equal the maximum state aid limits

How to apply

All applications will need to be made online via the Additional Restrictions Grant (Phase 2) webform by 9am on Monday 25 January 2021.

Further information can be found on the government guidance on the scheme can be found on the government guidance page.

Christmas Support Payment for wet-led pubs

The Council is seeking applications for Christmas compensation from licensed pubs and bars that derive less than 50% of their turnover from food sales. The Government has asked local authorities to make a £1,000 contribution to eligible businesses under the Christmas Support Payment (CPS) for wet-led pubs.

Businesses also in receipt of other Local Restrictions Support Grants – for example LRSG (Closed) or Additional Restrictions Grant – can also receive this funding.

The scheme covers the period 2-29 December 2020. Final applications must be received by 9am Monday 1 February.

First payments will be made after 4 January 2021.

Please email BusinessGrants@hart.gov.uk with any enquiries.

How to apply

All applications will need to be made online via the wet-led pub grant application form.

Local Restrictions Support Grant for Hospitality and Leisure businesses adversely affected between 2 – 25 December

This grant is for rate-paying businesses that were either temporarily required to close or where a substantive element of their business had to close. An example of this would be a pub that could only offer click and collect or takeaway services.

Retail businesses and Personal Care

The Government has asked us to focus this funding on Hospitality and Leisure businesses, however we recognise that retail and personal care businesses were also adversely affected. We therefore invite those businesses to also apply for this grant. We will focus payments up to 28 January on Hospitality and Leisure but will open up the scheme using discretionary funding where needed for retail and personal care businesses after 28 January.

How to apply

All applications will need to be made online via the LRSG 2- 25 December webform

Local Restrictions Support Grant (for businesses closed 5 November - 1 December)

The government recently announced that businesses in England required to close due to local COVID-19 lockdowns or targeted restrictions may now be able to receive grant funding to support them.

How much will businesses be able to claim:

For properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or under, grants will be £1,334 per month
For properties with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000, grants will be £2,000 per month
For properties with a rateable value of £51,000 or over, grants will be £3,000 per month

Who will be eligible for this grant:

Organisations open as usual before the November lockdown restrictions started
Organisations providing services in person to customers from the premises
Organisations required to close due to restrictions imposed by government
Organisations paying business rates for the premises before restrictions started

Please note payments will also be subject to state aid limits

Businesses are not eligible for this grant if they:

Can continue to trade because they do not depend on providing direct in-person services from premises and can operate their services effectively remotely (e.g. accountants, solicitors);
Have chosen to close but not been required to
Have already received payments that equal the maximum level of state aid permitted and the COVID-19 Temporary State Aid Framework
Are in administration, are insolvent, or where a striking off notice has been made at the date of the local lockdown/restrictions

How to apply

All applications will need to be made online via the LRSG webform

Payments will be made twice-weekly once processed.

FAQs

Where can I find my Business Rate number?

As the registered business ratepayer, you should have received a business rates bill earlier this year - even if you claim Small Business Rates Relief and the bill was for £0.00. Your rates account number and rateable value are listed on this bill. If you are unable to find your business rate account number or rateable value, then please send an email to: businessgrants@hart.gov.uk with the subject title 'LRSG - Lost Rates Acct Details'. We will send you a copy of your bill to your registered business address. Please ensure you provide your full name, business address, business name, and contact number. You may be asked to supply further evidence.

Can I still apply if I pay Council Tax / I'm not registered for business rates?

No. This grant is only for business ratepayers who have been legally ordered to close. If you are not a registered business ratepayer, or if you are but have not been ordered to close, you may still be eligible to apply for the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) if you have been severely impacted by lockdown restrictions.

I've moved into my business premises, but not registered for business rates yet - can I still apply?

Only if you can supply a copy of the email correspondence with either the Council or the Valuations Office Agency (VOA) to show you had submitted a correct new business ratepayer registration request for an eligible use, prior to 5 November 2020. If not, then you will not be eligible for this grant. You may still be eligible to apply for the Additional Restrictions Grant.

Part of my business has been legally ordered to close but I can still carry out some trading activities legally - can I still claim a grant?

To check if your premises are legally ordered to close, visit the government advice page at www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close. Some activities such as 'click and collect' from online or telephone ordering is allowed for non-essential retailers, even if the substantive part of the business is forced to close. Hospitality businesses can also offer delivery or takeaway without affecting their grant eligibility. Takeaways are not eligible as they have not been ordered to close and may keep trading.

I'm still unsure if my business has been legally ordered to close

If you are legally ordered to close your business, then this is for public health reasons. If you are genuinely unsure, then please check the list for closing certain businesses and venues in England, and then email eh@hart.gov.uk with your full query and contact details to take urgent steps to make sure your business is operating legally. Please note: Environmental Health will not be able to answer any grant enquiries. If your query is to check a closure technicality over your grant eligibility status but does not relate directly to urgent public health matters, then please email full details to businessgrants@hart.gov.uk Please always provide your full name, business address, email and phone number.

Do I need to pay tax on this grant?

Grant income received by a business is taxable and will need to be included as income in the tax return of the business.

Urgent enquiries

We expect high volumes of applications initially, so please bear with us. You will receive a notification that we have received your application with a reference number. If you have an enquiry relating to your grant application form or a business rates question specifically then please email: Hart.businessrates@secure.capita.co.uk

Additional business support

Further funding and support schemes

Business Rates Holiday for Nurseries: Nurseries in England do not have to pay business rates for the 2020-2021 tax year.

Bounce Back Loan: The scheme helps small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and up to 25% of their turnover. The maximum loan available is £50,000. The government guarantees 100% of the loan and there won’t be any fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months. After 12 months the interest rate will be 2.5% a year.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Self-employed individuals or members of partnerships whose business has been adversely affected by coronavirus will be able to apply for a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profits.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme: This scheme will help businesses affected by coronavirus to access bank lending and overdrafts if they need to. For loans up to £5 million, the Government is providing a guarantee of 80% for each loan.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Under the coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, all UK employers with a PAYE scheme will be able to access support to continue paying part of their employees' salary for those that would otherwise have been laid off during this crisis.

Statutory Sick Pay Rebate: The Government will bring forward legislation to allow small and medium-sized businesses to reclaim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) paid for staff sickness absence due to coronavirus.

Support for Businesses Paying Tax: All businesses and self employed people in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, may be eligible to receive support with their tax affairs through HMRC's Time to Pay service.

VAT Deferral: We will support businesses by deferring Valued Added Tax (VAT) payments for 3 months.

Income Tax Deferral for the Self-Employed: If you are self-employed, Income Tax payments due in July 2020 under the Self-Assessment system will be deferred to January 2021.

Support for Businesses Paying Tax: All businesses and self- employed people in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, may be eligible to receive support with their tax affairs through HMRC's Time To Pay service.

COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility: The new COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) means that the Bank of England will buy short-term debt from larger companies.

Deferral of Self-Assessment payment: The Self-Assessment payment on account, this is ordinarily due to be paid to HMRC by 31 July 2020 may now be deferred until January 2021.

Frequently asked questions- Here you can find a full list of FAQs provided by GOV.UK.

Arts Council England - £160 million of emergency funding available for those organisations and individuals.

There are a number of organisations who provide help and information about different grants or funding schemes that are out there to help your business, as well as providing other general advice for businesses.

The GOV.UK website provides a range of information on grants, finance and loans, and business support such as mentoring, consultancy and funding for small and medium-sized businesses and start-ups.

Business advice organisations and support

The British Business Bank is 100% Government owned, but independently managed, and brings expertise and Government money to the smaller business finance markets. They do not lend or invest directly. Instead, they work with over 80 partners such as banks, leasing companies and web-based platforms to make finance markets work better for small businesses in the UK.
Enterprise South provide businesses help with writing a business plan, securing funding and scaling, as well as general advice. The services they offer include:
- A business toolkit which offers a host of documents that are free for you to use.
- Help to apply for funding by working with Virgin Start Up Loans.
- Providing pre and post start support to businesses that have plans for growth, as a delivery partner for the Start and Grow programme.
- Free advice and mentoring sessions in Hampshire.
- Help to find a new office or workspace in your local area.

Businesses located in Hart can take advantage of the Hart Business Support Service funded by Hart District Council.

Enterprise M3 Funding Escalator - the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership has announced a new £5.5 million funding scheme, aimed at businesses in the early stages who have the potential of high growth and are likely to provide jobs in the area. They aim to drive the economic growth of the area by working with businesses, key delivery partners and central government.
J4B Grants provide information on all the latest European grants, UK Government grants and other sources of funding to help start and grow your business.
Bright Ideas Fund supports new community business ideas through the start up and planning stages with tailored business support, to the implementation stage with grants of up to £15,000.
A Start Up Loan is a government-backed personal loan available to individuals looking to start or grow a business in the UK. In addition to finance, successful applicants receive 12 months of free mentoring and exclusive business offers to help them succeed.
Startups is the UK’s leading independent, online resource for anyone starting or growing a business.
Fredericks Foundation is open to anyone who has a viable business proposition but cannot obtain mainstream finance. Start-ups can attain a maximum of £15,000. For established businesses with a financial track record of at least three years, the maximum loan is £35,000.GRANTfinder
GRANTfinder is Europe’s leading provider of grants and policy information and has been providing support to UK organisations since 1985. It is a user-friendly, accurate, and professional funding tool, which has helped its users to facilitate the securing of millions of pounds’ worth of support.
Grants Online is trusted by hundreds of organisations to keep them up to date with the latest funding opportunities. By providing up to date grant funding information, alerts and newsletters, they help businesses maximise funding potential.
TechRound is an online news site covering news and developments in UK start-ups, entrepreneurs, tech businesses as well as digital government policies and developments across politics affecting the digital and tech industries in the UK and beyond. With regular articles, insights, interviews and how-to-guides. Tech Round are always open to collaborations and news releases from other writers and journalists as well as media comments and appearances.