Stoke-on-Trent Local Authority launches Discretionary Grant Fund
Posted 29/05/2020
Stoke-on-Trent Local Authority have launched a discretionary fund to support small businesses.
The scheme will be open for applications from Thursday 28th May to Wednesday 3rd June at 5pm.
Who is eligible for the relief?
Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund payments are to be primarily and predominantly aimed at:
- small and micro businesses;
- businesses with relatively high ongoing fixed property-related costs;
- businesses which can demonstrate that they have suffered a significant fall in income due to the COVID-19 crisis;
- businesses which occupy property, or part of a property, with a rateable value or annual rent or annual mortgage payments below £51,000.
In addition to the above, Local Authorities are asked to give priority to the following types of businesses:
- Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces. Examples could include units in industrial parks, science parks and incubators which do not have their own business rates assessment;
- Regular market traders with fixed building costs, such as rent, who do not have their own business rates assessment;
- Bed and Breakfasts which pay Council Tax instead of business rates; and
- Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief (SBR) or Rural Rate Relief.
This grant funding is for businesses that are not eligible for other support schemes. Businesses which have received cash grants from any central government COVID-related scheme are ineligible for funding from the Discretionary Grants Fund, apart from the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.
Such grant schemes include but are not limited to:
- Small Business Grant Fund;
- Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant;
- The Fisheries Response Fund;
- Domestic Seafood Supply Scheme (DSSS);
- The Zoos Support Fund;
- The Dairy Hardship Fund.
Businesses who have applied for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme are eligible to apply for this scheme.
Only businesses which were trading on 11 March 2020 are eligible for this scheme. Companies that are in administration, are insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made are not eligible for funding under this scheme. You are not eligible to apply for this grant if:
- you/your business is based at home;
- you operate a mobile businesses;
- your business is based mainly on online trade/sales.
How much relief will be available?
Funding will be capped at a maximum of £10,000 per eligible business, or any amount under £10,000. The value of the payment to be made to a business is at the discretion of the local authority.
For more details and how to apply, please see https://www.stoke.gov.uk/discretionarygrant
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