The government has provided local authorities with additional funding to target small businesses with high fixed property related costs, but were not eligible for either the small business grant or the retail, hospitality and leisure grant.
The scheme is discretionary to allow local authorities to use their local knowledge, within the government guidelines, to prioritise who can apply.
As this fund is limited Norwich City will close the scheme to new applications on Tuesday 30 June 2020.
Read the full grant criteria.
Who can apply?
Priority will be given to the following:
- Small business in shared offices or other flexible workspaces e.g. units in industrial parks, science parks and incubators which do not have their own business rates assessment
- Regular market traders with fixed building costs, such as rent, who do not have their own business rates assessment
- Bed & breakfasts which pay council tax instead of business rates: and
- Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for small business rates relief.
Any grant award will be limited to one per business.
Other businesses which may apply
Norwich City will use its discretion for assistance to businesses in the cultural, creative and technical sector, if there is sufficient funding remaining once the above priority groups have been addressed
Eligibility
This funding will only be available to businesses that are not eligible for other support schemes including:
- The Small Business Grant Fund
- The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund
- The Fisheries Response Fund
- Domestic Seafood Supply Scheme
- The Zoos Support Fund
- The Dairy Hardship Fund
Businesses that have applied for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme are eligible to apply.
Businesses must have been trading from the premises they are claiming for on 11 March 2020 to be eligible for this scheme.
Companies in administration or are insolvent including where there has been a striking off notice will not be eligible to apply for assistance under this scheme.
A grant will not normally be payable to a subsidiary company that occupies premises if a parent company or another part of the group is liable for payment of the business rates.
Discretion may be applied in exceptional circumstances and where the subsidiary is not primarily financed by the parent company.
State aid
These grants are subject to normal state aid rules as defined in the scheme.
How to apply
You can apply online up to midnight on Tuesday 30 June 2020.
You will need to provide:
- the company registration number or charity number
- your VAT registration number
- your business rate or council tax account number if relevant
- your bank account details
- details of your most recent hygiene report (if applicable)
You’ll also need to write a statement explaining how your business was affected and attach either:
- your income and expenditure accounts
- business bank statements from February to May 2020 and the corresponding period in 2019
