New national business grants are being made available to support local businesses affected by the recent lockdown period. They are the Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) and the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).
Businesses are being encouraged to apply to Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT) to receive these new support packages.
The Council is busy working on guidance and a grant application process for local businesses in the area who have had to close under the new restrictions. Businesses are advised to bookmark and keep checking the council’s website for further updates during the coming days, as application processes and forms will going live shortly.
You can find Somerset West and Taunton’s grant information online here: www.somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-and-information/ and click on the business advice drop down arrow.
Government information can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/closing-certain-businesses-and-venues-in-england
The Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) supports businesses that were open as usual, providing services in person to customers from their business premises, but which were then required by law to close for 28 days due to national lockdown restrictions imposed by government.
They include non-essential retail, leisure, personal care, sports facilities and hospitality businesses. A full list of businesses which must close by law is now available online.
During the period of 5 November to 2 December 2020, a single grant to cover the 28 day period will be paid to each eligible business. The grant amounts will be fixed. Businesses with more than one qualifying property will receive more than one grant.
If your business is eligible and has a property with a rateable value of £15,000 or under, you will receive a cash grant of £1,334 per 28-day qualifying restriction period.
If your business is eligible and has a property with a rateable value of above £15,000 and below £51,000, you will receive a cash grant of £2,000 per 28-day qualifying period.
If your business is eligible and has a property with a rateable value of £51,000 or above, you will receive a cash grant of £3,000 per 28-day qualifying period.
Grants will be based on the rateable value of the property on the first full day of the national lockdown restrictions. Once government guidance has been fully assessed, SWT will make an online application form available. Please check our website regularly.
Businesses are not automatically eligible for this grant just because they received a Small Business Grant last time. This grant is much more restrictive than before, as it is only for businesses legally obliged to close.
The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) will be available for non-business rate payers that have either been required to close by government during the lockdown period or have been severely impacted by the lockdown period but do not have to necessarily close. In cases of very severe impact, business rate payers may also be able to apply.
Each local authority across the country has been awarded this additional funding as a one-off payment to support businesses through national lockdowns and any future tiered restrictions.
Cllr Marcus Kravis, Executive Member for Economic Development at SWT, said: “We were able to ensure that many eligible businesses particularly our small independent businesses and organisations, received the grants they were entitled to during the last lockdown period.
“These grants, which are non-repayable, can provide a vital lifeline for businesses. We are pleased to be able to deliver them once again and I would encourage businesses across the district to apply for the help that’s available.”