Published on Tuesday 05 January 2021
Following the commencement of the national lockdown today (Tuesday 5 January) local businesses that have been required to close will continue to receive grant support.
The Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) is a mandatory scheme aimed at ratepaying businesses that are required to close during periods of local or national restrictions.
Under the current national restrictions, the LRGS Closed addendum schemesupersedes the Closed, Open and Sector schemes, however businesses may still apply for periods before 31 December 2020.
Businesses that have already received LRSG support for the previous November 2020 lockdown will automatically receive addendum payments and do not need to apply. The level of grants support that will be awarded is dependent on the rateable value of each business and will be issued for each 14 day period of closure.
Furthermore, the Additional Restrictions Support Grant (ARG)scheme is open to business applications.
- Stream 1currently open to businesses not on the rating list that were mandated to close or businesses that were severely impacted by closures during the last national lockdown period (5 November to 2 December 2020). Applications for this initial support will close on 15 January. It will then be replaced with a new Stream of support for those now again mandated to close during the latest lockdown.
- Stream 2is open to local priority businesses in the night time economy, events, aerospace, travel, cultural and international visitor industries. This will close to applications on the 15 January 2021.
Councillor Philip Broadhead, Deputy Leader of BCP Council and Portfolio Holder for Economy, said:
"We appreciate that the current lockdown restrictions will have a major impact on our local business community which has already faced significant hardships throughout 2020, however I assure you that grant support remains available.
"I am also pleased to see that the Government has announced further funding to assist businesses through the difficult months ahead and that we will have some discretion to issue grants to those most in need. We will provide further information as soon as possible. In the meantime, I would like to reaffirm our commitment that we will do everything we can to support our local businesses into the new year and urge you to apply for the funding that is already available.’’
For more information and to apply for the various grants schemes, please visit: bcpcouncil.gov.uk/financialsupport
The Government has announced one-off top up grants for rated businesses required to close in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors to help them through to the Spring. These grants will be valued at:
- £4,000 for businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or under.
- £6,000 for businesses with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000.
- £9,000 for businesses with a rateable value of over £51,000.
Further discretionary grant funding will also be supplied to local authorities to support other businesses not eligible for the grants, that might be affected by the restrictions.
BCP Council will provide more information to local businesses on these new schemes once further details and funding have been received.