Calderdale businesses are encouraged to register their details with the Council in order to receive the relevant COVID-19 support grants.
Recent government announcements have confirmed a package of measures to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on businesses. This includes small business grant funding of £10,000 and a grant of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, subject to qualifying criteria.
Forms are now live on the Council’s website for businesses to provide information to ensure eligibility and also allow payments to be made to the correct bank accounts. More information and relevant forms can be found at https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/businesses/business-rates/covid-19-business-support
To be eligible for the £10,000 grant, businesses must have a rateable value of up to £15,000, be registered with the Council for business rates and currently entitled to either Small Business Rate Relief or Rural Rate Relief. The Council has contacted over 4,700 Calderdale companies which are likely to qualify for grant assistance, based on business rate records.
Grant funding of £25,000 is available for businesses which were occupied on Wednesday 11 March 2020, and used for retail, hospitality and leisure purposes. This means they’re therefore eligible for the expanded business rates retail discount of 100% for the 2020/21 financial year. Qualifying properties must have a rateable value of more than £15,000 and less than £51,000 – businesses are advised to check their rates bill for this. For full details and exemptions visit the Council’s website.
It is expected that funding for both grants will be available in April 2020. Please note that businesses are only eligible for either the £10,000 or £25,000 grant, and only one grant is available for each business property. If a business is not entered into the rating list and is therefore not liable for business rates, funding is not currently available. Businesses which aren’t currently registered as a business rates payer are encouraged to register at www.calderdale.gov.uk/doitonline (search for the Register For Business Rates form).
The government has also recently announced further support for the self-employed. The Self-employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will provide a grant to self-employed individuals or partnerships, worth 80% of their profits, up to a cap of £2,500 per month.
The SEISS scheme is being delivered by HMRC based on existing information. Grants are expected to start to be paid by the beginning of June 2020. More information can be found at https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/self-employment-income-support-scheme/(external link)
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Resources, Cllr Jane Scullion, said:
“We understand that this is a worrying time for many businesses, and teams across the Council are working tirelessly and as quickly as possible to process and implement the government grant and business rate relief schemes.
“It’s estimated that almost 6000 Calderdale businesses will benefit from the grant funding, with many more eligible for the recently announced support for the self-employed.
“Calderdale’s many small and independent businesses make a fantastic contribution to our communities. The Council is doing all it can to ensure that these businesses have the support to make it through this difficult and unprecedented time – helping ensure that they continue to thrive when we return to normality.”
To find out more about all the support being offered for businesses, visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus(external link) or visit the Council’s virtual business hub at https://dataworks.calderdale.gov.uk/dataset/covid-19–support-for-businesses. You can also contact business@calderdale.gov.uk