9 MARCH 2021
COVID-19 GOVERNMENT SUPPORT NEWS
Below is our weekly roundup of changes to government support information generally and for businesses, employers and the self-employed.
Changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)
The current version of the furlough scheme that started on 1 November 2020 was scheduled to end on 30 April 2020. In order to avoid a “cliff-edge” with resulting widespread redundancies the chancellor has announced a further extension of the scheme and also a phased reduction in support to employers. The CJRS furlough grant for May and June will remain at 80% of the employees’ usual pay for hours not working but it will then be limited to 70% for July and then 60% for August and September. This phased reduction will operate in a similar way as in September and October 2020 with the employer being required to contribute the remaining 10% and then 20% of an employee’s regular pay so that they continue to receive 80% pay for furloughed hours.
In addition to the 10% and 20% contributions employers will continue to be responsible for paying employers national insurance and pension contributions on the full amount being paid to employees.
The table below shows the level of government contribution available in the coming months, the required employer contribution and the amount that the employee receives per month where the employee is furloughed 100% of the time.
Wage caps are proportional to the hours not worked.
Contact us if you need assistance with your CJRS furlough claims. We will be happy to talk things through.
Self-Employment Income Support Scheme fourth grant (SEISS)
In line with the further extension of the CJRS furlough scheme for employees, the chancellor has set out further support for the self-employed. In addition to the upcoming fourth grant there will also be a fifth SEISS grant covering the 5 months to 30 September.
The chancellor has extended the scheme to include certain traders who were previously excluded. Thus, those who commenced self-employment in 2019/20 will now be included provided they had submitted their 2019/20 tax return by 2 March 2021. This is potentially a further 600,000 traders.
The Budget confirmed that the fourth SEISS grant will be set at 80% of 3 months’ average trading profits, paid out in a single instalment, capped at £7,500. The fourth grant will take into account 2019 to 2020 tax returns and will be open to those who became self-employed in tax year 2019 to 2020. The rest of the eligibility criteria remain unchanged.
Conditions for the fifth grant will be linked to a reduction in business turnover. Self-employed individuals whose turnover has fallen by 30% or more will continue to receive the full grant worth 80% of three months’ average trading profits, capped at £2,500 a month. Those whose turnover has fallen by less than 30% will receive a 30% grant, capped at £950 a month. We are awaiting further details of this fifth grant.
Eligibility for the scheme will now be based on your submitted 2019 to 2020 tax return. This may also affect the amount of the fourth grant which could be higher or lower than previous grants you may have received. To be eligible for the fourth grant you must be a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership.
To work out your eligibility HMRC will first look at your 2019 to 2020 Self-Assessment tax return. Your trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to your non-trading income.
If you are not eligible based on your 2019 to 2020 Self-Assessment tax return, HMRC will then look at the tax years 2016 to 2017, 2017 to 2018, 2018 to 2019 and 2019 to 2020.
You must also have traded in both tax years:
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2019 to 2020 and submitted your tax return by 2 March 2021
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2020 to 2021
You must either:
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be currently trading but are impacted by reduced demand due to coronavirus
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have been trading but are temporarily unable to do so due to coronavirus
You must also declare that:
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you intend to continue to trade
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you reasonably believe there will be a significant reduction in your trading profits due to reduced business activity, capacity, demand or inability to trade due to coronavirus
To allow HMRC to process recently submitted 2019 to 2020 Self-Assessment tax returns, the online Claims service for the fourth grant will be available from late April 2021 until 31 May 2021.
If you are eligible, HMRC will contact you in mid-April to give you your personal claim date. This will be the date that you can make your claim from.
There will be more guidance about the fourth and fifth grants in due course.
Please contact us if you want to check your eligibility and estimate your claim.
VAT: reduced rate for hospitality, holiday accommodation and attractions
In order to continue to support businesses and jobs in the hospitality sector, the reduced 5% rate of VAT will continue to apply to supplies of food and non-alcoholic drinks from restaurants, pubs, bars, cafés and similar premises across the UK until 31 September 2021.
The 5% reduced rate of VAT will also continue to apply to supplies of accommodation and admission to attractions across the UK. From 1 October until 31 March 2022 the rate will be set at 12.5% and will then revert to 20% from 1 April 2022.
VAT on admission charges to attractions
Check which attractions are eligible for the temporary reduced rate of VAT from 15 July 2020.
This applies to businesses that make supplies of admissions that are currently taxable at the standard rate. This includes:
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shows
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theatres
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circuses
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fairs
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amusement parks
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concerts
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museums
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zoos
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cinemas
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exhibitions
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similar cultural events and facilities
Examples of where the reduced rate may apply could be attractions such as:
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a planetarium
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botanical gardens
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studio tours
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factory tours
The temporary reduced rate does not apply to admission to sporting events. This temporary reduced rate only applies to admission fees. However, where goods are part of the admission fee and are incidental to the main supply, the whole supply is eligible for the temporary reduced rate.
The Recovery Loan Scheme
The government have already announced a longer repayment period for “Bounce-back” and CBIL loans. From 6 April 2021 a new Recovery Loan Scheme will provide lenders with a guarantee of 80% on eligible loans between £25,000 and £10 million to give them confidence in continuing to provide finance to UK businesses. The scheme will be open to all businesses, including those who have already received support under the existing COVID-19 guaranteed loan schemes.
The Recovery Loan Scheme ensures businesses of any size can continue to access loans and other kinds of finance up to £10 million per business once the existing COVID-19 loan schemes close, providing support as businesses recover and grow following the disruption of the pandemic and the end of the transition period.
Once received, the finance can be used for any legitimate business purpose, including growth and investment. The government guarantees 80% of the finance to the lender to ensure they continue to have the confidence to lend to businesses.
The scheme launches on 6 April and is open until 31 December, subject to review. Loans will be available through a network of accredited lenders, whose names will be made public in due course.
What type of finance is available?
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Term loans and overdrafts will be available between £25,001 and £10 million per business.
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Invoice finance and asset finance will be available between £1,000 and £10 million per business.
Finance terms are up to six years for term loans and asset finance facilities. For overdrafts and invoice finance facilities, terms will be up to three years. No personal guarantees will be taken on facilities up to £250,000, and a borrower’s principal private residence cannot be taken as security.
Eligibility
You will be able to apply for a loan if your business:
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is trading in the UK
You will need to show that your business:
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is viable or would be viable were it not for the pandemic
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has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic
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is not in collective insolvency proceedings - further details will be provided in due course
Businesses that have received support under the existing COVID-19 guaranteed loan schemes will still be eligible to access finance under this scheme if they meet all other eligibility criteria.
How to apply
The scheme will launch on 6 April 2021. Further details on how to apply and details of accredited lenders will be released in due course.
See: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/recovery-loan-scheme
New grants for high street businesses and hospitality sector
Businesses forced to close due to the Coronavirus lockdown will be eligible to apply for grants of up to £18,000 depending upon the rateable value of their business premises. Pubs, restaurants, hotels, gyms and hairdressers will be eligible for a grant of up to £18,000 per premises whilst non-essential retail businesses will be eligible to apply for a grant up to a maximum of £6,000.
The grants are intended to be a contribution towards the fixed costs of the business during the period that they have been unable to trade normally. Staff costs continue to be covered by the CJRS furlough scheme.
The government will also continue to provide eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties in England with 100% business rates relief from 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2021. This will be followed by 66% business rates relief for the period from 1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022, capped at £2 million per business for properties that were required to be closed on 5 January 2021.
Free rapid tests for all businesses for regular workplace testing and Income Tax exemption for employer-reimbursed coronavirus antigen tests for tax year 2020-21 and 2021-22:
Workplace testing now available to all businesses, including those with fewer than 50 employees. Businesses are encouraged to register interest by 31 March to access free workplace testing.
As part of the government’s roadmap to cautiously lift restrictions, businesses of all sizes, including those with fewer than 50 employees, can register from today to order free lateral flow tests for their employees. Around 1 in 3 people with coronavirus don’t have symptoms, which means they could be spreading the virus in workplaces without knowing. Rapid testing detects cases quickly – in under 30 minutes – meaning positive cases can isolate immediately, breaking chains of transmission.
Regular testing could be the difference between a workplace being able to stay open and operational, or needing to close due to a COVID-19 outbreak. It will form an important part of the government’s plan to ease restrictions gradually and safely as we get back to a more normal life.
So far over 3,500 businesses are signed up to offer workplace testing programmes, and over 14,000 have registered their interest in offering rapid testing, with many already rolling tests out.
Businesses have until 31 March to register for the government’s workplace testing scheme, which will remain free until the end of June. All those who can work from home should continue to do so.
HMRC have stated they will continue the Income Tax exemption for payments that an employer makes to an employee to reimburse for the cost of a relevant coronavirus antigen. There will be no Income Tax liability for the employee or employer.
Disposing of personal or business waste - England
Guidance on how to dispose of personal or business waste, including face coverings, personal protective equipment (PPE) and from lateral flow tests, during the coronavirus pandemic has been updated.
Continuation of the home office equipment expenses COVID-19 easement for the 2021-22 tax year
An Income Tax exemption and corresponding NICs disregard were introduced for the 2020-21 tax year. This allowed employers to reimburse employees for the cost of home office equipment deemed necessary to work from home as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak free from Income Tax and Class 1 NICs. The exemption was due to end on 5 April 2021 but will now be extended to have effect until 5 April 2022.
See: https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/buying-other-equipment
Extended loss carry back for business
To help otherwise-viable UK businesses which have been pushed into a loss-making position, the trading loss carry-back rule will be temporarily extended from the existing one year to three years. This will be available for both incorporated and unincorporated businesses. Further details are available from the HMRC guidance note.
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/extended-loss-carry-back-for-businesses
Kickstart Scheme update
The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers:
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100% of the National Minimum Wage (or the National Living Wage depending on the age of the participant) for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months
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associated employer National Insurance contributions
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employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions
Employers can spread the start date of the job placements up until the end of December 2021.
Further funding is available to provide support so that young people on the scheme can get a job in the future.
You no longer need a minimum of 30 job placements to apply directly for a grant. You can now apply for a Kickstart Scheme grant by either:
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applying online yourself
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applying through a Kickstart gateway who is already working with the Kickstart Scheme
New changes are that now there is an added section on ‘How you will get the funding’ and there is more detail to the steps in ‘Getting the young people into the job placements’.
Mandatory form for international travel launched to prevent illegal trips - England
From 8 March 2021, passengers travelling abroad will need to carry a new form stating that their trip is permitted under national lockdown rules.
You must complete this form if you are travelling outside the UK from England. Different rules apply for international travel from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
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England see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-declaration-form-for-international-travel
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Northern Ireland: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-advice
New one-off £500 payment for working households receiving tax credits
Find out more about the coronavirus (COVID-19) support scheme for working households receiving tax credits, your eligibility and how to tell HMRC if your contact or bank details have changed.
If you are part of a working household that receives tax credits, you may be eligible for a new one-off payment of £500. The new payment is being introduced to provide extra support when the temporary increase in Working Tax Credit ends as planned on 5 April 2021.
You do not need to apply for the new payment. HMRC will contact you by text message or letter in April to confirm you are eligible. You do not need to contact HMRC.
This includes those who, on 2 March 2021, receive:
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Working Tax Credit payments
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both Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit payments
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Child Tax Credit payments and are eligible for Working Tax Credit but do not get a payment because their income is too high
If you are eligible, you should receive your payment by 23 April 2021.
4 DECEMBER 2020
C19 NEWSLETTER
VACCINE OPTIMISM – WILL THE LOCKDOWN END?
The news is full of stories this week of the UK Government approving the Pfizer vaccine and who will be first to be offered the jabs and how the vaccine will be rolled out and, rightly so, people are more optimistic about the ending of lockdown and a return to some form of normality.
The vaccine is given in two doses - three weeks apart - and offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19. So it is reasonable to assume that the first people after front line NHS hospital staff and patients to get the jabs, will be residents in care homes for older adults and their carers, and that they will have immunity sometime from early 2021. That’s if we believe the time frame being discussed by the Government. This may take longer than anticipated. The rollout will then continue by age group from 80 years and over, down to the over 50’s in five-year age gaps.
The vaccine is truly great news, but the reality is it is going to take many months, with several vaccines, to immunise everyone over 50, and then there is the rest of the population.
So let’s be realistic and accept the fact that most of us will not have immunity for the large part of 2021 and that the evidence suggests continued strict lockdown until at least March 2021. This is evidenced by the fact Government supports to businesses, such as the Furlough scheme, have been extended to this date.
For many business owners, 2020 has been the worst of the worst years, and the UK economy is expected to shrink by 11.3% this year and not return to its pre-Covid size until the end of 2022. Government borrowing will rise to its highest outside of wartime to deal with the economic impact.
That said, we have been amazed at the resilience of clients and how they have energetically repurposed or pivoted their businesses into new areas, products and services. Businesses have redesigned delivery and payment systems, moved their entire processes digital, accepted remote working or new safe working environments and adopted to new technologies to survive and indeed prosper in this Covid-19 era.
Clients have demonstrated to us how we can all readily adapt to a change in circumstances and have given us inspiration and optimism for the future. We believe that by this time next year we will be back to where we want to be and more of our daily lives will resemble some kind of normality again.
Do not give in to the virus, stay strong, be resilient and together we will move forward.
Please do talk to us about helping your business plan forward and protecting cash flows, our most successful clients know that the best way to predict the future is to create it!
The Government continues to roll out supports for businesses affected by the lockdown and here is a summary of this week’s news. Please contact us about any of these supports and how we can help you make a claim.
CORONAVIRUS JOB RETENTION SCHEME
The Guidance has been updated to reflect that 30 November claims deadline has now passed. There is a new section on holiday pay updated with further clarity on when employees can be furloughed.
Please talk to us about helping your business make a Furlough claim, we have much experience on doing this over the last 10 months.
CLAIM A GRANT THROUGH THE SELF EMPLOYMENT INCOME SUPPORT SCHEME
The third grant for SEISS is now open. To make a claim for the grant, your business must have been impacted by coronavirus on or after 1 November 2020. You can make a claim for the third grant if you are eligible, even if you did not make a claim for the first or second.
What you will need to make your claim...
You will need your:
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Self-Assessment Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)
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National Insurance number
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Government Gateway user ID and password
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UK bank details including account number, sort code, name on the account and address linked to the account
You may also need to answer questions about your passport, driving licence or information held on your credit file.
You must make your claim between 30 November 2020 and 29 January 2021 using the government website below.
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES £1,000 CHRISTMAS GRANT FOR ‘WET-LED PUBS’ –ENGLAND
Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has announced an additional £1,000 Christmas grant for ‘wet-led pubs’ in tiers 2 and 3, who will miss out on turnover during the busy Christmas period.
Pubs that predominantly serve alcohol rather than provide food, have been asked to make sacrifices over the festive season and will be eligible for a one-off £1,000 to help make ends meet.
The payment will be a one-off for December and will be paid on top of the existing £3,000 monthly cash grants for businesses. This will cover those in tiers 2 and 3 forced to reduce their operations as a result of the latest regional measures put in place to contain transmission of the virus.
LARGE BUSINESS INTERRUPTION LOAN SCHEME
27 lenders have now signed up for the scheme.
The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) provides financial support to larger businesses affected by coronavirus (COVID-19).
The scheme helps medium and large sized businesses to access loans and other kinds of finance up to £200 million. The government guarantees 80% of the finance to the lender. The scheme is open to applications until 31 January 2021.
BUSINESS INTERRUPTION LOAN SCHEME
117 lenders have now signed up for the scheme.
The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) provides financial support to smaller businesses affected by coronavirus (COVID-19).
The scheme helps small and medium-sized businesses to access loans and other kinds of finance up to £5 million. The government guarantees 80% of the finance to the lender and pays interest and any fees for the first 12 months. The scheme is open until 31 January 2021.
CORONAVIRUS BOUNCE BACK LOAN
29 lenders have now signed up for the scheme.
BBL enables smaller businesses to access finance more quickly during the coronavirus outbreak.
The scheme helps small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and up to 25% of their turnover. The maximum loan available is £50,000.
The government guarantees 100% of the loan and there won’t be any fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months. After 12 months, the interest rate will be 2.5% a year. The scheme is open to applications until 31 January 2021. If you already have a Bounce Back Loan but borrowed less than you were entitled to, you can top up your existing loan to your maximum amount. You must request the top-up by 31 January 2021.
PAYMENT DEFERRAL OR DEREGISTER FROM MONEY LAUNDERING SUPERVISION DUE TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
If you were due to renew money laundering supervision with HMRC between 1 May and 30 September 2020 you were able to either:
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defer payment for up to 6 months
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deregister if you stopped trading due to coronavirus
If you continued to operate and carry out activity covered by the Money Laundering Regulations (MLR), you needed to:
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stay registered with HMRC
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meet your obligations under the MLR, to protect your businesses and the UK from criminal activity
Payment deferral or deregister
If you chose to defer you did not need to tell HMRC if you decided to defer payment.
HMRC will contact you by email to remind you about your new payment due date.
If you chose to deregister...
You did not need to be supervised by us, if you:
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temporarily closed your business due to coronavirus
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stopped all MLR activity
VAT DEFERRED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS
If you deferred VAT between 20 March and 30 June 2020 and still have payments to make, you can:
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pay the deferred VAT in full on or before 31 March 2021
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opt into the VAT deferral new payment scheme when it launches in 2021
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contact HMRC if you need more help to pay
You can pay your deferred VAT in full by 31 March 2021.
You cannot opt in yet. The online opt in process will be available in early 2021. You must opt in yourself; we cannot do this for you. We will advise you on how to make the claim and instead of paying the full amount by the end of March 2021, you can make up to 11 smaller monthly instalments, interest free. All instalments must be paid by the end of March 2022.
Please talk to us if you deferred VAT.
VAT: REDUCED RATE FOR HOSPITALITY, HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION AND ATTRACTIONS
Guidance has been updated to reflect the extension of the VAT reduced rate for tourism and hospitality from 12 January to 31 March 2021.
The government made an announcement on 8 July 2020 allowing VAT registered businesses to apply a temporary 5% reduced rate of VAT to certain supplies relating to:
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hospitality
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hotel and holiday accommodation
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admissions to certain attractions
The temporary reduced rate will apply to supplies that are made between 15 July 2020 and 31 March 2021.
VAT ON ADMISSION CHARGES TO ATTRACTIONS
Guidance has been updated to reflect that the VAT reduced rate for tourism and hospitality has been extended to 31 March 2021.
ENGLAND – LOCAL RESTRICTION SUPPORT GRANT (FOR OPEN BUSINESSES)
The Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG (Open)) supports businesses that have been severely impacted due to temporary local restrictions.
Businesses that have not had to close, but which have been severely impacted due to local tier 2 or tier 3 restrictions, may be eligible for LRSG (Open).
Eligible businesses may be entitled to a cash grant from their local council for each 14-day period under local restrictions.
Local councils have the discretion to provide grant funding for businesses under this scheme. They will use their discretion in identifying the right businesses to receive this funding, based on their application process.
ENGLAND – CLOSING CERTAIN BUSINESSES AND VENUES IN ENGLAND
There is updated information about business and venue closures in England, reflecting the introduction of local restriction tiers that came into effect on 2 December 2020.
