Application process
The application will be available online on 27 January 2022 to 18 February 2022.
Businesses will be required to provide a bank statement for the full month of December 2021 which should show the name of the business account, the address, sort code and account number. This will allow the Council to verify the bank details to which the grant payment may be made.
This should also demonstrate business income and expenditure to provide proof of trading in December 2021 any personal information contained such as tax and national insurance information and person on payroll can be redacted.
For businesses who do not have access to the internet, please contact us and the Council will be able to assist you.
It is important that all the information provided is accurate and truthful. Failure to do so could lead to an application being declined or significantly delayed or even result in a criminal investigation.
The Council will seek to reach a decision within 14 working days of receipt of all the required information.
If the Council suspects any business is trying to fraudulently claim the grant, it will investigate accordingly. Where evidence of fraud is present, the offending business will be prosecuted.
Updates to the scheme
The scheme will be reviewed and updated in line with the prevailing Government guidance, restrictions and funding.
How much grant will be payable?
The value of the grant will be determined once the scheme has closed and the number of successful applicants is known.
Appeals process
There is no right to appeal, and the decision of the Council is final. The Council’s interpretation of this document is at its own discretion and it will be the final arbiter of the definitions contained within this policy.
Subsidy allowance
Small amounts of financial assistance allowance
Grants may be paid in accordance with Article 3.2(4) of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which enables an applicant to receive up to a maximum level of subsidy without engaging Chapter 3 of the TCA. This allowance is 325,000 Special Drawing Rights, to a single economic actor over any period of three fiscal years, which is the equivalent of £335,000 as at 2 March 2021. An applicant may elect not to receive grants under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance and instead receive grants only using the below allowances available under this scheme.
COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance
Where the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance has been reached, grants may be paid in compliance with the Principles set out in Article 3.4 of the TCA and in compliance with Article 3.2(3) of the TCA under the COVID-19 Business Grant 4 Allowance (subsidies granted on a temporary basis to respond to a national or global economic emergency). For the purposes of these scheme rules, this allowance is £1,600,000 per single economic actor.
This allowance includes any grants previously received under the COVID-19 business grant schemes and any State aid previously received under Section 3.1 of the European Commission’s Temporary Framework across any other UK scheme. This may be combined with the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance to equal £1,935,000 (subject to the exact amount applicable under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance using the Special Drawing Right calculator).
COVID-19 Business Grant Special Allowance
Where an applicant has reached its limit under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance and COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance, it may be able to access a further allowance of funding under these scheme rules of up to £9,000,000 per single economic actor, provided the following specific conditions are met.
The Council must be satisfied that all Subsidy Allowance requirements have been fully met and complied with when making grant payments.
The Council will require each business to confirm that by accepting the grant payment, the business confirms that they are eligible for the grant scheme, including that any payments accepted will follow Subsidy Allowance requirements.
Tax
Grant income received by a business is taxable therefore funding paid under the Additional Restrictions Grant will be subject to tax. Only businesses which make an overall profit once grant income is included will be subject to tax.
Data protection
The Council treats all its information that it holds on file with the upmost care and confidentiality. For more on our Privacy Policies and to see how we use and share your data, please see our website.
Right to update this policy
The Council reserves the right to update and change this policy without notification or warning in the event that the government updates or changes its guidance to us or in the event of an error or omission.