Businesses reminded to apply for new coronavirus grant

The deadline is approaching for Calderdale businesses to apply for up to £10,000 from the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund.

The new grant, which launched in Calderdale on 5 June, is available for small and micro businesses facing major impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, which aren’t eligible for the Government’s Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Fund.

Calderdale Council is reminding eligible businesses to complete the online form before the application process closes at 5pm on Friday 26 June 2020. To apply, visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-19-business-support

Over 120 eligible Calderdale businesses have applied for the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund so far. The Council is busy working through the checks required by the national guidance to ensure businesses receive their money as soon as possible.

Cllr Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Resources, said: “We are now seeing key steps forward in the safe reopening of many businesses in Calderdale and across the country. However, we know that the impacts of the pandemic will be felt for a long time to come.

“Time is running out for businesses to apply for the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund, so we are urging them not to miss out on this vital funding.”

The Council has received £3.2 million from the Government to award this new grant locally. Although this will go towards providing some essential support, it does not cover the full amount needed, so the Council is calling on Government for more funding and can currently only accept applications from certain types of business. People are asked to check carefully whether their business is in one of the following categories before applying:

• Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces, such as units in industrial parks and science parks 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.
• Charity properties in receipt of Charitable Business Rates Relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.
• Applicants must meet the definition of either a small business or a micro business.
• Applicants must not be eligible for or benefiting from any other of the Government’s COVID-19 grant support schemes.
• Applicants must have high fixed property-related costs and be able to demonstrate a major drop in income as a result of the pandemic.

When the grant application process has closed, the Council will make any remaining money available for other types of business in a second round of grant applications.

In phase one, grants will be available as follows:

• £5000 for businesses which are in shared spaces that have property-related costs and employ 10 or less staff.
• £10,000 for businesses which are in shared spaces that have property-related costs and employ between 11 and 50 staff.
• £2,500 for Bed & Breakfasts that pay Council Tax and have less than six bed spaces and to be used wholly or mainly as guest or boarding premises.
• £2,500 for charities in shared spaces that have no property costs but are supported by landlords who pay Business Rates.
• £5000 for charities that have property-related costs and employ 10 or less staff.
• £10,000 for charities that have property-related costs and employ between 11 and 50 staff.

For more information about the grant and how to apply, please go to www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-19-business-support

The deadline for the first round of grant applications is 5pm on Friday 26 June 2020.

Please ensure you have the following information ready before filling in the online application form: your Business Rates or Council Tax account number, if applicable; evidence of the number of staff you employ; evidence of the lease or rental agreement for your property; evidence of the financial impact of COVID-19.

If you need more information or advice, please email the Council’s Business and Skills team at Covid19.Business@calderdale.gov.uk