Following the country’s third national Lockdown being implemented until at least February half-term to help control the virus, the government has provided a some additional support to help businesses through this difficult time. Here is a summary:
Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Businesses Grant:
This one-off grant is in addition to the monthly grant you can already claim from the council for being closed due to COVID restrictions:
- £9,000 – premises over £51,000 rateable value
- £6,000 – premises £15,000-£51,000 rateable value
- £4,000 -premises under £15,000 rateable value
These grants were announced by the Chancellor on 5 January and Canterbury City Council are waiting for the government guidance to arrive. We will keep you updated as soon as we here more details. Find out more HERE.
Wet-led pub grants:
The government has announced a one-off grant payment of £1,000 to help ‘wet-led’ pubs during the Christmas period (Wednesday 2 December to Tuesday 29 December 2020). A pub will be eligible for a grant payment if:
- less than 50% of its income is from the sale of food, and
- it’s in an area under Tier 2 or Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions; following the tier reviews on Wednesday 2 and Wednesday 16 December 2020
To apply for this grant, you must have been the ratepayer for the property on Tuesday 1 December 2020. Find out more and apply HERE.
Local Restriction Support Grants and and Discretionary Grants
We understand there are still businesses waiting to hear about their November applications. Those that have applied but not received it yet, please check your bank and your junk mail (just in case). By Christmas, CCC had paid 990 applicants a total value of £1,584,918. A further pay run went out on 31 December and 7 January. We have been told that resolving these grant applications was the Council’s priority and additional resource has been brought in to help.
If you applied for the National Lockdown 2 grants, covering 5 November to 1 December 2020: (and were eligible), there will be an automated system soon to apply for Tier 3 and Tier 4 grants, covering 2 to 19 December 2020 and 20 December 2020 to 5 January 2021, respectively. Businesses won’t need to re-apply but may be asked to confirm a few details.
Please remember, if the substantive part of your business is closed but click and collect, for example, is operating, you are still eligible for the closed lockdown grants. Similarly, hotels and B&Bs who are open to key workers, etc, are also eligible.
More information about grant distribution from Canterbury City Council is available HERE.
