The funding from government to local authorities for business rates relief and small business grants continues to filter through. However, the local authorities are taking slightly different approaches as to how the funding is being issued to the recipients. Having reviewed each of their websites, Norfolk Chambers have compiled below the headlines from each local authority.
NB: As more updates are received, the below information may change, please visit the relevant local authority website for the very latest information. It is also possible that your local authority might be struggling to contact your business, please do be proactive in contacting them, if you feel your business is eligible.
Breckland Council
Breckland Council are trying to prepare as much as possible to enable us to deal with the changes and distribution as quickly as they can when they are able to release these payments.
The grants will be paid out based on the business occupying the relevant property on 11 March 2020. Any business caught falsifying their records to gain additional grant money will face prosecution and any funding issued will be subject to claw back.
If you think you may be entitled to a grant, please complete their online form
Business Rates Holidays
Government have introduced a business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England for the 2020 to 2021 tax year.
Businesses within these industries do not need to do anything and will be applied to your next bill for April 2020. However, local authorities may have to reissue your bill automatically to exclude the business rate charge
Broadland Council & South Norfolk Council
https://www.broadland.gov.uk/downloads/file/5934/covid-19_business_support_faqs
https://www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/coronavirus-information/business-support
Q: What support is there for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses that pay business rates?
A: The Government will introduce a business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England for the 2020-21 tax year.
Eligibility – You are eligible for the business rates holiday if:
• your business is based in England, AND
• your business is in the retail, hospitality and/or leisure sector.
Properties that will benefit from the relief will be those that are wholly or mainly being used: Properties that will benefit from the relief will be occupied hereditaments that are wholly or mainly being used:
• as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues,
• for assembly and leisure: or
• for hospitality such as hotels, guest & boarding premises and self-catering accommodation
Further details on eligibility are set out in the expanded retail discount guidance. Businesses that received the retail discount in the 2019 to 2020 tax year will be rebilled by the Council as soon as possible.
For qualifying hospitality and leisure businesses you do not need to do anything. If we consider you are eligible for this rates holiday the Council is already in the process of awarding the discounts and issuing revised bills.
If you believe you should qualify and haven’t heard from us by 10 April please email: [email protected]
Q: I am struggling with my business rates, what should I do?
A: If you are not able to pay your business rates please contact the business rates team as soon as possible. The sooner the conversation is started they may be able to assist with rescheduling payment dates.
Broadland District Council rates team – [email protected]
South Norfolk Council rates team – [email protected]
Great Yarmouth Borough Council
https://www.great-yarmouth.gov.uk/business-rates
Great Yarmouth Borough Council is sending letters this week to about 3,000 local businesses which are eligible for the Government’s business relief grants.
This will go to your premises address or (where different) your correspondence address for business rates. If you are eligible, please complete the online form – HERE. The council will administer and pay out the grants as soon as possible.
The council is working closely with New Anglia LEP, other local councils and business groups to ensure our local businesses get the support they are entitled to.
If you have any immediate concerns, then please get in touch. Lots of information and support about the grants, eligibility criteria and further business advice is available HERE on our website which is being kept updated daily.
Please follow the enterpriseGY Twitter account, where rolling updates and information on business support, grants, reliefs and job vacancies are being published.
King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council
https://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/businessrateshelp
The form to verify your details for the Small Business Grant or the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant is now available. The Borough Council are now working through the list of eligible ratepayers and starting to pay the grant. Grants paid on 31 March 2020 will show on your bank statement as ‘Bus Grant’ followed by your Business Rates account reference.
The Borough Council have now received the guidance on Business Rates Relief and are busy identifying affected businesses so that we can update accounts and send revised bills to our customers. There is no need for you to contact them or complete any application forms – they will do everything for you.
North Norfolk District Council
When I am going to hear about getting help with a grant to support my business and how much will it be?
North Norfolk District Council are currently working on identifying businesses which will be eligible for the grants. A one-off grant of £10,000 to support small businesses currently eligible for Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) or rural rate relief.
If your business is in the retail, hospitality or leisure sector in England, then you may be entitled to a cash grant. If you have a property with a rateable value of less than £15,000 then you will be entitled to a grant of £10,000, whether or not you are entitled to small business rate relief or rural rate relief.
If your business is in the retail, hospitality or leisure sector. If you have a property with a rateable value of between £14,999 and £51,000, then you will be entitled to a cash grant of £25,000.
NNDC will be contacting customers and asking them to complete an online form to confirm they have the correct occupier and the business is still trading. Once they have the information back, this will be checked and grants awarded. They are looking to make payments to customers in early April.
Norwich City Council
Business rates relief
You don’t need to take any action. Norwich City will identify businesses that are entitled to the discount and will send a revised bill as soon as possible.
Grants
Norwich City are asking all eligible businesses to complete our online form to ensure they have all the correct details to enable them to process their payment.
Not sure if you are eligible for a grant? Make sure by reading through these FAQs.
Business rates collection
Norwich City understand that this a challenging time for many businesses, but we do expect those that can afford to maintain their direct debit or payment plans to keep up with their payments.
However, to support businesses that may be struggling at this time, they will not be taking any enforcement action.
In the short-term, Norwich City are proposing to introduce some flexible payment plans where their customers can opt to start their payments for the new 2020/21 charge period in June rather than April. Please email [email protected] to request a change to your payment plan.
How businesses apply for financial support
Norwich City will automatically award the relevant relief or grant once guidance and funding is received from central government which they are expecting by early April.
They will award any relief direct to the business rates account and any grant will be paid separately. They will send you an updated bill showing the relief applied.
