The Local Restrictions Support Grant - November 2020 National Lockdown

The Government has announced new grant schemes for businesses who are instructed to close for the period 5 November 2020 to 2 December 2020 due to the national lockdown.

Grants relating to Tier 2 restrictions

Businesses forced to close, that are registered for business rates, may be eligible for a  Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG)
 
Local Authorities are also being given funding, additional to the business rates grants above, to implement an Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG). These are discretionary grants that can be paid to businesses forced to close which do not have a business rates account and are therefore ineligible for the LRSG or those businesses that are not required to close but have been severely impacted. 
 
Find out more about the ARG grant scheme and make an application 

As part of its national restriction measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19, the Government has announced grant funding to be paid out by councils to businesses that are required to close due to Government lockdown restrictions.

The funding is only available for businesses that were required to close because of the formal publication of lockdown regulations under Public Health legislation, the funding is not available to businesses who have elected to close for other reasons.

Businesses required to close under national restrictions are:

  • all non-essential retail
  • indoor and outdoor leisure facilities
  • entertainment venues
  • personal care facilities

A more detailed list of the business that must close can be found on the gov.uk website.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this grant, your business must:

  • be in East Cambridgeshire
  • have been open as usual before the restrictions
  • have been providing services in person to customers from the premises
  • be required to close under the Government's national lockdown restrictions
  • have been registered as the occupier for business rates on 5 November 2020

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

If your business does not meet the criteria above but you are still subject to or impacted by Government Covid-19 restrictions, a discretionary scheme is currently being formulated.

We appreciate the urgency for business support and will release further information on this as soon as possible.

What you will receive

The amount you receive is based on the rateable value of the business premises, which is determined by the Valuation Office Agency. You can find the rateable value of your premises on your latest business rates bill.

  • Businesses forced to close that have premises with a rateable value of £15,000 or below on 5 November 2020 will receive a one-off grant of £1,334, subject to eligibility criteria. 
  • Businesses forced to close that have premises with a rateable value of over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on 5 November 2020 will receive a one-off grant of £2,000, subject to eligibility criteria.
  • Businesses forced to close that have premises with a rateable value of £51,000 or above on 5 November 2020 will receive a one-off grant of £3,000, subject to eligibility criteria.

These grants will be paid as one-off grants to cover a 28 day period from 5 November to 2 December 2020.

Eligible businesses will get one grant for each property liable for business rates.

How to apply

Eligible ratepayers will be contacted by the council. We will ask you to complete a declaration confirming that you will not exceed the relevant State Aid threshold.

Please read the eligibility criteria before completing the application form.

If you have any problems completing the form, or need any further help or advice, please email covid19businessgrants@eastcambs.gov.uk or telephone 01353 665555.