Update on business grants

There’s still time to apply for a restart business grant to cover the three months from 1 April to 30 June. The grant is there to support businesses during this period of re-opening and you can apply even if your business is open.

As of 16 June, we have paid grants to more than 2,700 businesses. We are currently working through 400 more where we require more information, are waiting for pre-payment checks to come back or are reviewing the claim.

For the current Covid-19 support grants, the government has set out additional anti-fraud checks before issuing payments.

If you have not yet applied for a grant, please do so now as the government-set closing date of 30 June is fast approaching.

Go to our businesses and employers web page for more details.

Which types of business are eligible?

• shops (non-essential retail) 
• personal care businesses such as hairdressers and beauty salons
• restaurants and pubs, accommodation
• leisure
• your business was liable to pay business rates on 1 April 2021 and has now re-opened
• your business does not pay business rates but has previously received a discretionary grant for the period up to 31 March 2021 and has now reopened.

Unfortunately, those businesses that have previously applied for grants but have been told they are not eligible are unlikely to qualify for a restart grant unless their circumstances have changed.

How much is the grant?

Non-essential retail could receive one-off grants of up to £6,000 and hospitality, leisure up to £18,000, depending on the rateable value of their properties. Further details can be found on our business web pages.

How to apply

Please read the applicants guide before applying. This gives details of what information you will need in order to complete the restart application which is a short additional form to a main application. You do not need to submit another main application for an address where you have already applied.

We have emailed all businesses that have successfully applied previously for a grant. They can sign back into their account and add a claim for the restart grant to their existing applications using the add-on form.

If you have not applied before you will need to start a main grant application (green button on the form) and add the restart grant form after you’ve completed the main form.

All the online forms can be accessed through our businesses and employers web page.