Local Restriction Support Grant (CLOSED) Tier 2 and 4

Before the national lockdown or before moving in to tier 3 you must have been open as usual and providing in-person services to customers from your business premises and then required to close. If you have to stay closed for a consecutive period of no less than 14 days as a result of regulations made under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 you will be eligible for this funding.

• Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under on the date of the commencement of the local restrictions will receive a payment of £667 per 14-day qualifying restriction period.
• Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on the date of the commencement of the local restrictions will receive a payment of £1,000 per 14-day qualifying restriction period.
• Businesses occupying hereditaments appearing on the local rating list with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or above on the commencement date of the local restrictions, will receive £1,500 per 14-day qualifying restriction period.

Subject to State aid limits, businesses will be entitled to receive a grant for each eligible hereditament within the restriction area. So, some businesses may receive more than one grant where they have more than one eligible hereditament.

• Businesses that are able to conduct their main service because they do not depend on providing direct in-person services from premises and can operate their services effectively remotely (e.g. accountants, solicitors).
• Businesses subject to local restrictions that are implemented for less than 14 days and businesses that are closed for less than 14 days are not eligible for grant funding.
• Businesses in areas outside the scope of the localised restrictions, as defined by Government, are also excluded.
• Businesses that have chosen to close but not been required to will not be eligible for this grant.
• Businesses that have already received grant payments that equal the maximum levels of State aid permitted under the de minimis and the Covid-19 Temporary State Aid Framework.
• For the avoidance of doubt, businesses that were in administration, are insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made are not eligible for funding under this scheme.
• Specific businesses subject to national closures since 23 March 2020 will not be eligible for this funding. They will be provided support through the strand of the LRSG (Sector) for nationally mandated business closures.

• The person who was the ratepayer in respect of the hereditament on the date of the first full day of local restrictions is eligible for the grant. Where the Local Authority has reason to believe that the information that they hold about the ratepayer on the first full day of the local restrictions is inaccurate they may withhold or recover the grant.
• In Tier 2, a business running a public house, bar or other business involving the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises must cease to carry on that business, unless alcohol is only served for consumption on the premises as part of a table meal, and the meal is such as might be expected to be served as the main midday or main evening meal, or as a main course at either such meal.
• For the purposes of the above paragraph, a “table meal” is a meal eaten by a person seated at a table, or at a counter or other structure which serves the purposes of a table and is not used for the service of refreshments for consumption by persons not seated at a table or structure serving the purposes of a table.
• Businesses must have been trading the day before local restrictions came into force to be eligible to receive funding under this scheme. Where local restrictions are preceded by national ‘lockdown’ measures, requiring the extended closure of eligible businesses, it is accepted that those businesses are still trading.
• Eligible businesses that have a voluntary agreement but are not insolvent, in liquidation or in administration will be eligible to receive a grant if they are still trading and operating, but only under de minimis, if the agreement means the business is ineligible for a grant under the COVID-19 Temporary Framework for UK Authorities.
• Businesses must be closed for the entirety of the 14-day payment cycle to be eligible. If a business is open and then decides to close during a payment cycle, it will only become eligible for a grant when it enters the next 14-day payment cycle.
• If a business is required to close its main, in-person service but adapts its business to operate takeaway, click and collect or online with delivery services, it will be considered closed and be eligible to receive grants under this scheme because its substantive business must close.
• By accepting the grant payment, the business confirms that they are eligible for the grant schemes.
• Businesses will need to notify their Local Authority if they no longer meet the eligibility criteria for additional grants at any point in any local restrictions period. For example, if they become insolvent.