Cheshire West Covid-19 Financial Support for Businesses grant launches

Businesses across Cheshire West and Chester having to close due to Covid-19 restrictions are now being encouraged to apply for a new financial support grant.

The ‘Cheshire West Covid-19 Financial Support for Businesses’   can be applied for from today (10 November) by visiting: https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/news-and-views/incidents/coronavirus-covid-19/business-information/financial-support-for-businesses.aspx

A free webinar on Wednesday 11 November at 3.30pm will explain how the new grant works, how to apply and answering questions. The webinar will be broadcast live for up to 250 businesses who can register for joining details:  https://www.letstalkbizcw.co.uk/eventInfo/179160/CheshireWestCovid19FinancialSupportforBusinessesGrant

Following the live broadcast, the video will be shared on the Council’s Let’s Talk Business website.

The Government has introduced new restrictions to tackle the latest escalation of COVID-19. These measures started on Thursday, 5 November, through to 2 December.

This means that the previous tier alert system has been suspended.  The government also announced a series of grants to support businesses during the restrictions.     

The Council has produced a single application form for businesses which will establish if support is available from one of the four Government grants: 

• Grants available for rateable businesses forced to close during the national lockdown;
• Grants available to businesses affected by the national lockdown that are forced to close and are not eligible under the national lockdown scheme above;
• Grants available for business affected by Tier 2 (High Alert) restrictions;
• Grants available for businesses mandated to close since March;

Businesses in hospitality, leisure and accommodation along with non-essential retail, personal care, sports facilities and mobile businesses could be eligible. 

Councillor Carol Gahan, Cabinet Member for Legal and Finance said: “We are acutely aware of the financial hardship many businesses find themselves in during the current time and we have developed a simple online application form, with guidance.  Please use this form to apply for a grant." 

Businesses that can continue to trade because they don’t depend on direct in-person trade will not be eligible, this includes professional services, manufacturing, digital and creative businesses. 

Essential retail and businesses allowed to stay open won’t be eligible. 

Added Councillor Gahan: “I can assure every business we will make the payments as quickly as we can, this is a huge task, it isn’t automated, but we have a team ready to help. Applications will be acknowledged, and successful businesses will also be contacted to confirm when payments have been made”

The four grants available are: 

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) 

This grant is to support those businesses that are required to close as a result of the national lockdown and have a business property that has a rateable value as determined by the Valuation Office Agency. It will be a one-off payment for the four-week national lockdown period, with the amount payable dependent on the rateable value of the business premises. The Council has no discretion over this grant and will make payments to eligible businesses in line with the government guidance. The rate of payment for eligible businesses will be: 

• For properties with a rateable value of £15k or under, grants to be £1,334 per four weeks;
• For properties with a rateable value of over £15k and below £51k, grants to be £2,000 per four weeks;
• For properties with a rateable value of £51k or over, grants to be £3,000 per four weeks.

 Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open) 

The Council will receive a set amount of funding for any period during which the borough is in Tier 2 (High Alert). This funding must be used to establish a grant scheme to support those businesses significantly impacted by the Tier 2 (High Alert) restrictions in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors. Cheshire West and Chester was in Tier 2 (High Alert) from 19 October until the 5 November. 

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Sector) 

Some types of business were required to close in March and have not been able to re-open since; this includes nightclubs and adult entertainment venues. From 1 November, such businesses will be paid grants for every four-week period they have to remain closed, with the amount payable dependent on the rateable value of the business premises. The Council has no discretion over this grant and will make payments to eligible businesses in line with the government guidance. 

Additional Restrictions Grant 

The Council will receive a set allocation (based on £20 per head of population) to administer a discretionary grant scheme to businesses affected by COVID-19 restrictions and/or to provide other direct business support. This will be a one-off allocation made to the Council and central government has advised that this is for the period 5 November 2020 to 31 March 2022. The council will use an element of this funding to support those businesses that are forced to close by the four-week national lockdown but fall outside the government eligibility criteria for the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed). The council will receive £6.86 million and will confirm how the remaining funding will be used to support businesses.  

Government guidance for all the business support schemes can be found here: -

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-restrictions-support-grants-lrsg-and-additional-restrictions-grant-arg-guidance-for-local-authorities?utm_source=c48cec8a-830a-43ff-8c8e-b8aebcb9207a&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

Government information for the national restrictions including which businesses are required to close and which can stay open can be found here: -

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november#national-restrictions-from-5-november