Restrictions Business Fund Extension 25 January - end of March 2021 (12 February 2021)

Restrictions Business Fund Extension 25 January - end of March 2021

Following the First Minister’s announcement, the Restrictions Business Fund Non-Domestic Rates (NDR) for non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism (NERHLT) sectors has been extended to provide a single top up payment for businesses affected by national restrictions. Discretionary based grant for the period to end of March 2021 will also be available through application via local authorities.

Taken alongside the package for December and January, this will provide businesses with a minimum combined £6,000 - £10,000 grant before taking into account support via the ERF Sector Specific Fund, Jobs Support Scheme and the wider package.

Restrictions Business Fund Top up:

Businesses Eligible for the Extended Restrictions Business Fund will receive the following top up:

• NERHLT businesses in receipt of Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) and with a rateable value of £12,000 or less will be eligible for an additional £3,000 payment. Supply chain businesses qualifying for SBRR will also be eligible for this support if they have greater than 40% reduction in turnover during the restriction period.
• NERHLT businesses with a rateable value of between £12,001 and £51,000 will also be eligible for a £5,000 payment if impacted by the restrictions. Supply chain businesses in the same rateable value bracket will also be eligible for this support if they have greater than 40% reduction in turnover during the restriction period.

   

• NERHLT businesses with a rateable value of between £51,001 up to £150k who registered and received the ERF Restriction Fund Grant in December/January via their Local Authority will begin receiving payments into their bank account during February. These businesses will not be required to re-register their details
• NERHLT businesses with a rateable value of between £150,001 and £500,000 will now be able to register for a one-off £5,000 payment if impacted by the restrictions. Supply chain businesses in the same rateable value bracket will also be eligible for this support if they have greater than 40% reduction in turnover during the restriction period.
   

• If you are eligible for the payments and haven’t received the grant to date please register via your local authority's website.

• This extension will also provide support to retail, leisure and tourism business properties with rateable values of between £150k and £500k p.a. This will enable support to be provided to a cohort of medium sized firms that to date have not received support via the Restrictions Business Fund schemes. These businesses will be required to register their details, as well as making a short on-line application to their respective local authority.

• Business will be able to access the registration and application forms via the following Restrictions Business Fund - Local Authorities page.

• To support businesses who are not registered on the NDR register and with a turnover below £50k, a further £30m phase of the Local Discretionary Fund has also been approved and will provide a £2,000 grant. Businesses will need to submit an application to the fund.

Following this grant extension the total amount of financial support for eligible businesses through the Welsh Government’s Restrictions Business Fund alone for the period 4 December – end of March is as follows:

• NERHLT businesses in receipt of Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) and with a rateable value of £12,000 or less will be eligible for a £6,000 payment. Supply chain businesses qualifying for SBRR will also be eligible for this support if they have greater than 40% reduction in turnover during the restriction period.

• NERHLT businesses with a rateable value of between £12,001 and £51,000 will also be eligible for a £10,000 payment if impacted by the restrictions. Supply chain businesses in the same rateable value bracket will also be eligible for this support if they have greater than 40% reduction in turnover during the restriction period.

• NERHLT businesses with a rateable value of between £51,001 and £150,000 will also be eligible for a £10,000 payment if impacted by the restrictions. Supply chain businesses in the same rateable value bracket will also be eligible for this support if they have greater than 40% reduction in turnover during the restriction period.

• NERHLT businesses with rateable values of between £150,001 and £500k who were not able to apply for funding in December will be entitled to a £5,000 payment. These businesses will need to register their details through their local authority website.

How to access the Fund:

Non Domestic Rates paying Businesses

Businesses must be on the non-domestic rates (NDR) rating list for their local authority on 1 September 2020.

Businesses who received the Restrictions Business Grant in December via their Local Authority will begin receiving payments via the Restrictions Business Fund into their bank account during February. These businesses will not be required to re-register their details.

Business will be able to access the registration and application forms via the following Restrictions Business Fund - Local Authorities page.

Some businesses that are ineligible for non-domestic rates grant will be able to continue to apply to local authorities for a Discretionary Grant of up to £2,000.

Local Discretionary Grant

• To support businesses who are not registered on the NDR register and with a turnover below £50k, a further £30m phase of the Local Discretionary Fund has also been approved and will provide a £2,000 grant. Businesses will need to submit an application to the fund.
• This will provide support to sub VAT sole traders without a property who are materially impacted (>40% reduced turnover) as a result of the restrictions, e.g. cleaners providing services to the hospitality industry.
• Application forms for the Local Discretionary Grant can be accessed by visiting the relevant local authority website. Application forms for the new Discretionary Grant will open on w/c 8 February.

You are not eligible for the Discretionary grant if:

• You are eligible for, or have received a Non-Domestic Rate Grant from your Local Authority.
• You have 50 or more employees.
• The business generated less than 50% of your income, the business must be your main source of income.

Applications to the Local Discretionary Grant will be dealt with on a first come first served basis. This may lead to applications not being appraised after they have been submitted if the fund is fully committed.