Business support grants

Grants which are no longer available

COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) 2021/2022

On 25 March 2021 the government announced a COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund of £1.5 billion. The fund was available to support those businesses affected by the pandemic but that were not eligible for previous support linked to business rates.

The £1.5 billion was allocated to local authorities based upon the estimated rateable value in each local authority rating list which falls within the scope of the fund. We were allocated £3,163,488 and relates to 2021/2022 business rate charges only.

We have written to eligible local businesses inviting the business rate payer to apply for the funding. If you have not received a letter, you are not be eligible to apply for this discretionary relief.

The closing date for applications was Wednesday 31 August 2022. We are currently processing applications for awards.

Businesses not eligible for the funding

The award of this relief is at our discretion, Woking Borough Council. Applications for this relief were considered in line with our policy for the COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund. However, the CARF government issued guidance on GOV.UK confirms that the following circumstances cannot be considered for award under this scheme regardless of the policy adopted:

  • Businesses that do not have a charge to pay in the 2021/2022 financial year.
  • Businesses in receipt of, or eligible for, the Expanded Retail Discount and the Nursery Discount, for example: shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs, hotels, self-catering accommodation and so on.
  • Businesses that do not have a charge to pay due to the awarding of other reliefs, for example: small business rates relief, charitable relief, discretionary relief and so on.
  • Businesses that are not in occupation (or are in intermittent occupation) in the 2021/2022 financial year
  • Businesses who have already received the maximum permitted subsidy allowances.
  • Businesses that are in administration, insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made.
  • Hereditaments occupied by billing authorities, certain governing authorities, for example a parish or county council) or a functional body.

The funding for this scheme is limited by the government allocation. The amount of relief to be awarded to successful applicants will be determined once the application window has closed.

Additional Restrictions Grants (Discretionary)

This grant scheme is discretionary and was open for applications to both businesses rated (you receive a business rates bill) and non-business rated businesses with fixed business premises.

  • If you do not have fixed business premises you were not eligible.
  • A business run from a domestic dwelling was not eligible.

The government is encouraging these funds to be used to support businesses which have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 restrictions, particularly the Omicron variant.

Funding is very limited and will be targeted at those that have been impacted the most and had the least grant support in the past.

Full eligibility criteria

  • If you have already received an Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant (OHLG) this year, you will not be entitled to an Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) as well.
  • If you applied for an Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant (OHLG) and were unsuccessful, you may be entitled to an Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) if you meet the criteria.

The following payment thresholds apply to successful applicants:

  • Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under will receive a payment of £2,667.
  • Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 will receive a payment of £4,000.
  • Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or over will receive a payment of £6,000.

Non-business rated applicants will receive the equivalent awards based on fixed property costs for which evidence will be required.

Application deadlines

The closing date for all applications was be 20 February 2022. Grant payments will be made no later than 31 March 2022.

Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant

The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure scheme grant payment was a one-off payment which was applicable to:

  • Business rated businesses – you receive a business rate bill.
  • The applicant must be the rate payer named on the business rates bill.
  • The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure scheme will provide one-off grants of up to £6,000. 

The following payment thresholds apply for these businesses:

  • Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under on 30 December 2021 will receive a payment of £2,667.
  • Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on 30 December 2021 will receive a payment of £4,000.
  • Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or over on 30 December 2021 will receive a payment of £6,000.

Application deadlines

The government require decisions and pre-payment verification checks on application details and bank accounts to be completed by 28 February 2022

To allow sufficient time to complete these checks, the application closing date was 13 February 2022. No applications will be accepted after this date.

Successful applications will be paid as soon as possible and final payments will be made by 31 March 2022.

Restart Grant (April 2021)

The closing date for grant applications was midnight on Wednesday 30 June 2021.

The government provided Restart Grants in England of up to £6,000 per premises for non-essential retail businesses, and up to £18,000 per premises for hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym businesses.

The primary principle of the Restart Grant scheme was to support businesses that offer in-person services, where the main service and activity takes place in a fixed rate-paying premises.

Applicants were required to be business rated. This means that you receive a business rates bill in the business name and the business must be classified as one of the sectors listed in the government guidance.

Local Restrictions Support Grant (closed) scheme and the one-off business support lockdown (Jan 2021) payment

The government announced that from 1 April 2021 qualifying applicants for the Local Restrictions Grant (closed) scheme could only receive the second payment cycle covering the period 16 February to 31 March 2021 (44 days). In addition, from 1 April 2021 the one-off business support lockdown (Jan 2021) payment closed to all further applications.

The Local Restrictions Support Grant (closed) scheme applied to businesses which were directed to close by the government when Woking moved to Tier 3 on 19 December 2020, or Tier 4 on 20 December 2020, and then national lockdown on 5 January 2021.

Applications received between 1 April 2021 and 31 May (the closing date for second payment cycle applications) were not entitled to the initial payment up to 15 February 2021.

Eligibility criteria:

  • is business rated (the applicant must be the rate payer)
  • open as usual before the restrictions, for example on 4 January  2021
  • required to close due to restrictions imposed by the government.

Your business did not qualify for support under this scheme if it was in administration, insolvent or a striking off order was made at the time local restrictions started.

This scheme closed at midnight on 31 May 2021.

National lockdown (5 November to 2 December 2020)

This grant is open to businesses that were open and trading, but which were legally forced to close as a result of the national lockdown from 5 November to 2 December 2020. These were mainly non-essential retail, leisure, personal care, sports facilities and hospitality businesses.

This scheme closed at midnight on 31 March 2021.

Keep up-to-date

We also keep local businesses up to date about grants, other support and resources via our Woking Works business enewsletter.

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