COVID-19: Grant funding for Business - Updated: 6 October 2020
Grant funding for Business
What cash grants are available to support businesses during the cornonavirus/COVID-19 crisis?
Local lockdown grants
As announced on 9 September 2020.
Businesses in England required to close due to local lockdowns or targeted restrictions will now be able to receive grants worth up to £1,500 every three weeks.
To be eligible for the grant, a business must have been required to close due to local Covid 19 restrictions.
See Gov.uk: Grants for business affected by local-lockdowns
Small Business Grant Fund, Rural Rates Relief and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant
Grant Eligibility criteria
£10,000 Any business eligible for Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) and Rural Rates Relief (RRR)
£10,000 A retail, hospitality and leisure business with a rateable value of up to £15,000
£25,000 A retail, hospitality and leisure business rateable value of over £15,000 and less than £51,000
£ nil Businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or over are not eligible for this scheme
Hereditaments (premises) included in this scheme are those which on the 11 March 2020 were eligible for relief under the business rate Small Business Rate Relief Scheme (including those with a Rateable Value between £12,000 and £15,000 which receive tapered relief) or are eligible to the Expanded Retail Discount and have a rateable value of less than £51,000.
Excluded properties
Only one grant may be awarded per hereditament.
See: Small Business Grant Fund and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund Guidance
Discretionary Grant Fund
A Discretionary Grant Fund for small and micro businesses that are not eligible for other grant schemes.
A grant of £25,000, £10,000 or any amount under £10,000.
A business is potentially eligible if it:
Priority applications are given to:
You cannot apply if:
How to apply
Go to your local council’s website to find out how to apply. Applications close at 9am on 15 June 2020.
Fisheries Response Fund
See Fisheries Response Fund further payment for eligible business.
Domestic Seafood Supply Fund (DSSS)
See DSSS scheme
Zoos Hardship Fund
An animal welfare grant of up to £100,000 for your zoo or aquarium affected by coronavirus (COVID-19).
You can apply to the Zoos Support Fund if your zoo or aquarium is based in England and either:
See Support for Zoos and Aquariums
Dairy Hardship Fund
See Defra: New funding to support dairy farmers
Film & TV Production Restart Scheme
The Department of Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) and HM Treasury have published the draft rules and explanatory notes for the Film & TV Production Restart Scheme. It is now open for applications.
The government-backed scheme provides £500 million for UK film and TV productions struggling to get insurance for COVID-related costs and help productions back up and running.
Note: The formal commencement of the scheme is conditional upon the European Commission providing State Aid approval.
Registration deadline: 31 December 2020. Claims will be able to be submitted up to 30 November 2021 for losses incurred up until 23:59 GMT on 30 June 2021.
Applications can now be made via the appointed Third Party Administrator, Marsh Commercial.
See HM Treasury: Film & TV Production Restart Scheme - Draft Rules
See HM Treasury: Film & TV Production Restart Scheme - Draft Explanatory Notes
FAQs
Are these grants taxable?
The government have confirmed that these grants will be taxable as income. The business can then claim tax relief on the expenditure supported by the grant. Updated 27/04/20.
What are the VAT implications? Added 19/05/20
HMRC have not provided any guidance as to whether the grants will be subject to VAT or count towards turnover for VAT registration limits. Normal principles are expected to apply meaning:
What about state aid rules?
UK Government grants counts towards state aid.
Fraud
Anti-fraud: any business caught falsifying their records to gain additional grant money will face prosecution and any funding issued will be subject to clawback.
External links
Small Business Grant Fund and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund Guidance
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