Exclusions to Small Business Grant Fund

Exclusions to Small Business Grant Fund

1. Hereditaments occupied for personal uses. Examples of where there may be personal use include private stables and loose boxes, beach huts and moorings. 
2. Car parks and parking spaces. 
3. For the avoidance of doubt, businesses which as of the 11 March were in liquation or were dissolved will not be eligible. 

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant

1. Hereditaments which on the 11 March 2020 had a rateable value of less than £51,000 and would have been eligible for a discount under the business rates Expanded Retail Discount Scheme had that scheme been in force for that date are eligible for the grant. Charities which would otherwise meet this criteria but whose bill for 11 March had been reduced to nil by a local discretionary award should still be considered to be eligible for the RHL grant.

2. Eligible recipients will be entitled to receive one grant per hereditament from the earlier of the date of payment of the grant by the Local Authority or 1st April 2020. 

Exclusions to RHLG

1. Recipients eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund will not be eligible for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant. 
2. Hereditaments occupied for personal uses. Examples of where there may be personal use include private stables and loose boxes, beach huts and moorings.
3. Car parks and parking spaces.
4. For the avoidance of doubt, businesses which as of the 11 March were in liquation or were dissolved will not be eligible.
5. Hereditaments with a rateable value of £51,000 or over. 
6. Only one grant may be awarded per hereditament.

Who will receive this funding?

1. The person who according to the billing authority’s records was the ratepayer in respect of the hereditament on the 11 March 2020.
2. Where the Local Authority has reason to believe that the information that they hold about the ratepayer on the 11 March 2020 is inaccurate they may withhold or recover the grant and take reasonable steps to identify the correct ratepayer. Local Authorities should make clear to recipients that the grant is for the ratepayer and may be liable for recovery if the recipient was not the ratepayer on the eligible day.
3. The Local Authority must call or write to the business, stating that by accepting the grant payment, the business confirms that they are eligible for the grant schemes. This Small Business Grant Fund and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund guidance 7 includes where Local Authorities already have bank details for businesses, and are in a position to send out funding immediately, or where the Local Authority is sending a cheque to a business.
4. Landlords and management agents are urged to support local government in quickly identifying the correct ratepayer.