Council invites applications for new business grant

The online application process for the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund for businesses is now open.

This new grant of up to £10,000 is open to small and micro businesses which have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but which aren’t eligible for the Government’s Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Fund.

Eligible Calderdale businesses can apply for the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund at www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-19-business-support until 5pm on Friday 26 June 2020.

Calderdale Council has £3.2 million from the Government to award the new grant locally. This does not cover the full amount of support needed, so the Council is lobbying Government for more funds and can currently only accept applications from the following types of business:

• 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.

Cllr Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Resources, said: “We know that many small businesses are still struggling with the impact of lockdown, so we’re pleased to launch the new grant to help those that were unable to get the Government’s previous financial support.

“Since we announced the grant, dozens of businesses have expressed interest in applying, and our teams have been working very hard to get the application process up and running. We will continue to support businesses in every way we can, to help them get back on their feet as we move towards the ‘new normal’.”

When the grant application process has closed in three weeks’ time, the Council will review the funding available. Any remaining amount will be made available for other types of business in a second round of grant applications.

In the first phase, grants will be available as follows:

• £5,000 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.
• £5,000 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.

The online application form for the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund went live on Friday 5 June. Businesses are urged to check their eligibility before applying at www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-19-business-support and must ensure they have the following information when completing the application form: their Business Rates or Council Tax account number; evidence of the number of staff employed; evidence of the lease or rental agreement for the property; evidence of the financial impact of COVID-19.