Covid 19 - What you need to know - Retail, hospitality and leisure businesses grants

The Government has announced a series of grants for Retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with a rateable value of up to £51,000.

Relevant businesses with a rateable value of less than £15,000 are eligible for a grant of up to £10,000; Those businesses with a rateable value between £15,001 and £51,000 are eligible for a grant of up to £25,000.  These grants are separate to the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme also announced by the government.

Guidance has been issued and updated by the Government to support Local Authorities in administering the business grant schemes. The guidance applies to England and sets out the criteria which central government considers for this purpose to be eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF).

Local Authorities will pay these grants in the first instance and affected businesses should monitor their local Authority website for further information.  Many Local Authorities are already preparing to make these payments, for which will be reimbursed by Central government.  Central government have  also committed to meeting the delivery costs of the scheme.

In Leeds for example, those businesses eligible for the grant are being advised that they do not need to apply and that Leeds City Council will contact eligible businesses in early April but that those businesses can help speed the process up by sending  bank account details and a copy of the relevant rates account to business.rates@leeds.gov.uk.