New Grants to Help Businesses

2nd Feb 2021
Business Grants

As companies continue to struggle through this pandemic, the Government has announced the availability of more grants to help businesses across a range of different sectors. We’ve summarised all the grants below so you can see what might be available for you.

Closed Businesses Lockdown Payment
This is for businesses that:
•    Occupy the property on which they pay business rates 
•    Have been required to close because of the national restrictions this year
•    Have been unable to provide usual in person customer service from their premises, such as non-essential retail, leisure, personal care, sports facilities, tourism and hospitality, as well as businesses that operate primarily as an in person venue but have been forced to close those services and provide a takeaway only service instead

If any of the above relate to you, then you can apply for the grant online on Northampton Borough Council’s Website.

Local Restrictions Support Grants (Closed) 
There are different addendums to this grant now.

Firstly, for businesses that were required to close due to national restrictions imposed by the government between 5 November and 2 December 2020, and also again from 5 January 2021, you may be eligible if:
•    Your business has a property with a rateable value of £15,000 or less - you may be eligible for a cash grant of £2,001 for each 42-day qualifying restrictions period
•    Your business has a property with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 - you may be eligible for a cash grant of £3,000 for each 42-day qualifying restrictions period
•    Your business has a property with a rateable value of £51,000 or above - you may be eligible for a cash grant of £4,500 for each 42-day qualifying restrictions period

Secondly, if the following criteria apply to your business, you may also be eligible for a grant if:
•    Your business was in an area of Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions and was required to close because of local restrictions that resulted in a first full day of closure on or after 9 September 2020
•    Your business was in an area of Tier 4 restrictions and was required to close because of local restrictions that resulted in a first full day of closure on or after 19 December 2020
•    Your business occupies the property on which it pays business rates
•    Your business has been required to close for at least 14 days because of the restrictions
•    Your business has been unable to provide its usual in person customer service from its premises, for example a restaurant now operating as takeaways only

If either of the above relates to you, then you can apply for the grant online on Northampton Borough Council’s Website.

Local Restrictions Support Grants (for open businesses)
Even if your business hasn’t had to closed, if it’s been negatively affected you may still be eligible for a grant. Does any of the following relate to your business?
•    It is in an area that was subjected to Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions from 1 August 2020 and has been severely impacted because of the local restrictions
•    It was established before the introduction of Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions
•    You have not had to close but you’ve still been impacted by local restrictions, for example hospitality, hotel, bed & breakfast and leisure businesses

If any of the above relate to you, then you can apply for the grant online on Northampton Borough Council’s Website.

Local Restrictions Support Grant (sector)
This is for nightclubs, dance halls and discotheques, or any adult entertainment venues and hostess bars. Eligible businesses can get one grant per non-domestic property. Please take a look at Northampton Borough Council’s Website to get further information.

The Additional Restrictions Grant
This provides local councils with grant funding to support closed businesses that do not directly pay business rates, as well as businesses that do not have to close but which have been impacted.
This could include:
•    Businesses which supply the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors
•    Businesses in the tourism and events sectors
•    Business required to close but which do not pay business rates

If you think this could relate to you, then you can apply for the grant online on Northampton Borough Council’s Website.

Additional Restrictions Grant Taxi Vehicle Licence Scheme
This is for Taxi Vehicle License holders (Hackney Carriage and Private Hire) who had a reduced number of fares in December 2020 because of the local restrictions that were in place. If you think this could relate to you, then you can apply for the grant online on Northampton Borough Council’s Website.

Please note, the closing date for applications is 12th March 2021.