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Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant

The government announced the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant on 21 December 2021. It’s aimed at businesses in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors only.

General eligibility

Please note that the government has determined the application closure date is 18 March 2022 and we must carry out prepayment checks and determine all awards by 31 March 2022.

As this date has passed, no further applications are able to be submitted.  Claims will be validated and we will complete the required prepayment checks to ensure payments are made by 31 March 2022.

The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant is only available to businesses on the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) ratings list.

The primary principle of the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme is to support businesses that offer in-person services, where the main service and activity takes place in a fixed rate-paying premises, in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors.

Any changes to the rating list after 30 December 2021 (including those made retrospectively) will be ignored for the purposes of eligibility and the award will not be adjusted.

Businesses must have been trading on 30 December 2021 to be eligible for this grant.

General exclusions

Businesses that are not within the ratings system will not be eligible to receive funding under this scheme.

Businesses that have already received grant payments that equal the maximum permitted subsidy allowances will not be eligible to receive funding.

Businesses that are in administration, insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made, are not eligible for funding under this scheme.

How much will be received

Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under on 30 December 2021 will receive a payment of £2,667.

Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on 30 December 2021 will receive a payment of £4,000.

Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or over on 30 December 2021 will receive a payment of £6,000.

How to apply

Please check the more detailed eligibility criteria below before making an application, to ensure you qualify. You will need the following information to support your application.

  • The Business Rates account number, as shown on your bill. If you have more than one Business Rates number, please complete a separate application for each one.
  • The company’s latest bank statement. You will need to upload this as part of your application. If this is not uploaded, your application will not be considered.
  • A unique identifier, such as your Company Reference Number (CRN), VAT Registration Number, Self-Assessment/Partnership Number, National Insurance Number or Registered Charity Number 
  • The date the business was established.

Hospitality

For the purposes of this scheme, a hospitality business can be defined as a business whose main function is to provide a venue for the consumption and sale of food and drink.

Eligibility

  • businesses offering in-person food and drink services to the general public
  • businesses that provide food and/or drink to be consumed on the premises, including outdoors.

Examples of included businesses

  • food courts
  • public houses/pub restaurants
  • restaurants
  • roadside restaurants
  • wine bars
  • cafes.

Who is excluded

Businesses whose main service is a takeaway or food kiosks

Leisure

For the purposes of this scheme, a leisure business can be defined as a business that provides opportunities, experiences and facilities, in particular for culture, recreation, entertainment, celebratory events and days and nights out.

Eligibility

  • businesses that may provide in-person intangible experiences in addition to goods
  • businesses that may rely on seasonal labour
  • businesses that may assume particular public safety responsibilities
  • businesses that may operate with irregular hours through day, night and weekends.

Examples of included businesses

  • casinos and gambling clubs
  • cinemas
  • museums and art galleries
  • stately homes and historic houses
  • theatres
  • zoos and safari parks
  • amusement parks
  • wedding venues
  • events venues
  • night clubs and discotheques
  • arenas
  • concert halls
  • tourist attractions
  • theme parks
  • amusement arcades
  • soft play centres or areas
  • clubs and institutions
  • village halls and scout huts, cadet huts etc.

Who is excluded

All retail businesses, coach tour operators, tour operators and gym and sports businesses, such as dance and fitness studios, sports centres and clubs, sports courts, swimming pools and golf courses, where physical exercise or training is conducted on an individual or group basis.

Accommodation

For the purposes of this scheme, an accommodation business can be defined as a business whose main lodging provision is used for holiday, travel or other purposes.

Eligibility

  • businesses that provide accommodation for ‘away from home’ stays for work or leisure purposes
  • businesses that provide accommodation for short-term leisure and holiday purposes.

Examples of included businesses

  • caravan parks
  • caravan sites and pitches
  • chalet parks
  • coaching inns
  • country house hotels
  • guest houses
  • hostels
  • hotels
  • lodge
  • holiday apartments, cottages or bungalows
  • campsites
  • boarding houses
  • canal boats or other vessels
  • B&Bs
  • catered holiday homes
  • holiday homes.

Who is excluded

All private dwellings, education accommodation, residential homes, care homes, residential family centres and beach huts.

Subsidy allowance

Subsidy allowance has now replaced State Aid following the end of the transition period and the UK’s exit from the EU.

The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme is covered by three subsidy allowances:

  • Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance: you’re allowed up to £335,000 (subject to exchange rates) over any period of 3 years
  • COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance: you’re allowed up to £1,900,000
  • COVID-19 Business Grant Special Allowance: if you have reached your limits under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance and COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance, you may be able to access a further allowance of funding under these scheme rules of up to £10,000,000, provided certain conditions are met.

Grants under these three allowances can be combined for a potential total allowance of up to £12,235,000 (subject to certain conditions being met).

You are responsible for ensuring you do not exceed the limits of the above schemes.

Tax

All grant income is taxable and will need to be included as income with your HMRC returns. Only businesses that make an overall profit once grant income is included will be subject to tax and should be included in the tax year ending 5 April 2022.

Fraud prevention

The government will not accept deliberate manipulation or fraud. If any business is caught falsifying records to gain additional grant money, they will face prosecution and any funding issued will be recovered, as will any grant paid in error. We will be sharing the data you provide to prevent fraud, money laundering and to verify applicants.