Support, Advice and Funding

(Monday 4 January 2021) National Lockdown: Stay at Home

You should follow the guidance immediately.

Businesses and venues which must close

The regulations require some businesses to close and impose restrictions on how some businesses provide goods and services.

The full list of businesses required to close can be found in the guidance on closing certain businesses and venues, but includes:

• non-essential retail, such as clothing and homeware stores, vehicle showrooms (other than for rental), betting shops, tailors, tobacco and vape shops, electronic goods and mobile phone shops, auction houses (except for auctions of livestock or agricultural equipment) and market stalls selling non-essential goods. These venues can continue to be able to operate click-and-collect (where goods are pre-ordered and collected off the premises) and delivery services.
• hospitality venues such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs; with the exception of providing food and non-alcoholic drinks for takeaway (until 11pm), click-and-collect and drive-through. All food and drink (including alcohol) can continue to be provided by delivery.

For guidance and information please go to gov.uk

Businesses that can remain open should follow working safely guidance, to protect customers, visitors and workers.

If you can complete your normal duties at home, work from home.

If you cannot work from home, go to your place of work using safer travel advice and follow Covid guidelines.

Follow guidance on working safely in other people’s homes if you are an official or registered tradesperson.

If you work in hospitality, use the guidance for your type of workplace to keep your employees and customers safe.

Find out about the support available for your business.

Closed business grants (one-off top-up grants)

In addition to Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) payments, the Government has announced the Closed Businesses Lockdown Payment, which provides a one-off top up grant for all businesses legally required to close during national restrictions.

If your business has successfully claimed a Localised Restrictions Grant (Closed) for any of the periods below then you will also be awarded a one-off top-up Closed Business Lockdown Payment. If you have already submitted a  successful claim for a Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed), your one-off top-up Closed Businesses Lockdown Payment will be made automatically. You do not need to submit a separate application.

This is a one-off grant and the amounts in the following table are fixed.

Localised Restrictions Grant (Closed) for businesses legally required to close from 5 January to 15 February 2021 (National Lockdown 3)

This grant is to support businesses that are in the ratings list for Business Rates and have a rateable value, as grants are awarded based on the rateable value of the business.

Period of entitlement is from 5 January 2021 to 15 February 2021.

In order to be eligible your business must:

• Have a business rates account, have been legally required to close (for example non-essential retail, leisure, personal care, sports facilities and hospitality businesses) and have been significantly impacted by lockdown restrictions for the period of local entitlement 5 January 2021 to 15 February 2021 (National Lockdown).

Businesses not eligible for a Localised Restrictions Grant (Closed)

• Businesses that have been able to continue to trade because they do not depend on providing in-person services and can work remotely such as accountants and solicitors are not eligible for this grant.

Applications for a Local Restrictions Grant (Closed)

• If you have already received a Local Restrictions Grant (Closed) payment for previous lockdown periods you do not need to apply again. We will be in contact with you automatically.
• If you have not claimed for the Local Restrictions Grant (Closed) please apply here, you will need to provide satisfactory evidence and satisfy state aid rules.  Any grant award received is subject to HMRC tax conditions.

This is a 42 day award period. The grant amounts shown in the following table are fixed.

If you have not yet applied for your November lockdown grant, then please complete the Local/National Restrictions Support Grant online application form. If your application is successful, then we will continue to issue grants for as long as we remain in Tier 4 or national lockdown.

Local Restrictions Support Grants (Closed) for businesses legally required to close from 20 December 2020 - 4 January 2021 (Tier 4)

If you have already applied for grants since November 2020, you will not need to do anything more to receive the additional grants. We will be in contact with you automatically.

The grant amounts shown in the following table are fixed and payable every 14 days that Brentwood remains in Tier 4, including the current national lockdown.

This grant is to support businesses that are in the ratings list for Business Rates and have a rateable value, as grants are awarded based on the rateable value of the business.

Period of entitlement is from 20 December 2020 - 4 January 2021.

In order to be eligible your business must:

• have a business rates account and have been legally required to close (for example non-essential retail, leisure, personal care, sports facilities and hospitality businesses)

This is a 14 day award period The grant amounts shown in the following table are fixed.

If you have not yet applied for your November lockdown grant, then please complete the Local/National Restrictions Support Grant online application form. If your applicaiton is successful, then we will continue to issue grants for as long as we remain in Tier 4 or national lockdown.

Localised Restrictions Grant (Closed) for businesses legally required to close from 16 December to 19 December 2020 (Tier 3)

This grant is to support businesses that are in the ratings list for Business Rates and have a rateable value, as grants are awarded based on the rateable value of the business.

Period of entitlement is from 16 December 2020 to 19 December 2020.

In order to be eligible your business must:

• have a business rates account, have been legally required to close and are in the hospitality, hotel, bed & breakfast and leisure sectors

If you have already received a Local Restrictions Grant (Open) payment you do not need to apply again. We will be in contact with you automatically.

This is a 4 day award period and grants will be paid pro-rata. The grant amounts shown in the following table are fixed.

Localised Restrictions Grant (Closed) for businesses legally required to close from 5 November to 2 December 2020 (National Lockdown 2)

This grant is to support businesses that are in the ratings list for Business Rates and have a rateable value, as grants are awarded based on the rateable value of the business.

Period of entitlement is from 5 November 2020 to 2 December 2020.

In order to be eligible your business must:

• have a business rates account, have been legally required to close (for example non-essential retail, leisure, personal care, sports facilities and hospitality businesses) and have been significantly impacted by lockdown restrictions for the period of local entitlement 05 November 2020 to 02 December 2020 (National Lockdown).

Businesses not eligible for a Localised Restrictions Grant (Closed)

• Businesses that have been able to continue to trade because they do not depend on providing in-person services and can work remotely such as accountants and solicitors are not eligible for this grant.

Businesses will have to make an application, provide satisfactory evidence and satisfy state aid rules.  Any grant award received is subject to HMRC tax conditions.

The grant amounts shown in the following table are fixed.

If you have not yet applied for your November lockdown grant, then please complete the Local/National Restrictions Support Grant online application form.

Additional Restrictions Grants (Discretionary)

On 31 October, the government announced that Brentwood Borough Council would receive £1.54m for one-off payments to enable to support businesses more broadly. On 5 January, the Chancellor announced an additional top up to this scheme.

Businesses who will be eligible will include but are not limited to:

• Businesses where business rates are included within rents;
• Businesses in the supply chain for retail, hospitality, leisure, events and accommodation sectors;
• Event and event management businesses.

Businesses must:

• Be a micro business or small business as defined in Section 33 Part 2 of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 and the Companies Act 2006;
• Have ongoing fixed business-related costs that are unavoidable overheads;
• Demonstrate that they have suffered a significant fall in income due to the COVID-19 crisis;
• Not be eligible for a Local Restrictions Support Grant from the Council (under any scheme) for the same period.

Award levels

The Council has decided the following grant levels will apply:

• Up to £10,000 in exceptional circumstances where the business has high property costs and the failure of the business would have a significant impact on the residents of the Borough;
• Up to £3,000 where 'small' businesses fit the required criteria;
• Up to £2,000 where 'micro' businesses fit the required criteria;
• Up to £1,000 where 'other' businesses fit the required criteria.

The Council reserves the right to change the amount of the grant awards, depending on the number of applications received. View the Council's Additional Restrictions Grants Scheme discretionary policy.

Applications for an Additional Restrictions Grant (Window One period, 25/11/2020 - 10/01/2021)

• Applications for window one of the Additional Restrictions Grant closed on 10 January 2021.

Applications for an Additional Restrictions Grant (Window Two period, open from 11 January)

• If you have already received an Additional Restrictions Grant payment for the Window One period (25/11/2020 - 10/01/2021) you do not need to apply again.

If you have not yet applied for an Additional Restrictions Grant, then please submit your application form here: Additional Restrictions Grant online application form. Please note that you will need to upload your two most recent bank statements with your application.

Essex Business Adaptation Grants

Essex County Council has allocated £132,000 in financial support to help the businesses in the borough of Brentwood who have been impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.

This grant is to help businesses required to close or impacted by the social restrictions imposed at the HIGH Alert (Tier 2) level from 15 October.

The funding will allow businesses to adapt their premises and operations so that they can continue to operate and generate an income while restrictions are in place.

Business eligibility:

Customer facing businesses including but not limited to hospitality and retail businesses and personal contact services will be able to apply for this scheme.

To qualify for this grant, your business is a business within the borough of Brentwood which:

• has fixed property related costs
• was open and trading on 4 November 2020
• was required to close or was severely impacted by the social restrictions imposed at HIGH Alert from 15 October 2020
• is categorised as micro, small or medium sized
• operates in a COVID secure way
• has a current and relevant certificate to show compliance with the laws and regulations relevant to its trade

Businesses cannot apply if 

• they were in administration
• are insolvent
• were given a striking off notice at the date of the restriction. 
• they have already received grant payments that equal the maximum levels of State Aid.

Grants of £500, £1,000 and £1,500 are available. We will award them based on individual business needs.

We will award a grant of £500 for:

• the production of promotional material to encourage customers to follow COVID secure guidelines (e.g. floor stickers, leaflets, adverts and signage)

• training of staff on courses associated with the adaptations or changes

We will award a grant of £1,000 for:

• adjustments or improvements to the physical environment to help keep staff and customers safe (e.g. sanitiser stations, protective screens and barriers)

We will award a grant of £1,500 for:

• the creation and running of an online presence (e.g. a digital technology platform) in order to offer ‘click and collect’ or delivery services
• the purchase of equipment to diversify operation and generate income - examples include, but are not limited to:
  • Outdoor furniture, canopies, patio heaters and lighting
  • Relocation of existing internal fixtures and fittings
  • Motion sensors on doors
  • Cycles to provide a delivery service

Grant conditions: Businesses can spend this grant on items ordered after 15 October 2020 or up to 28 days after the grant award is made. Please note that PPE, hand sanitiser refills and disposable items are excluded from this scheme.

To apply, please complete the Essex Business Adaptation Grant online application form.

Brentwood Open / Shenfield Open / Ingatestone Open posters

We have produced a library of COVID-19 Secure posters for shops, restaurants, pubs, salons and offices to download and print.

Business support packages

Visit GOV.UK for the latest information on the government’s business support packages.

Guidance on further businesses and premises to close

View the current guidance on which businesses and premises must close and the exceptions to each category.

Guidance on getting back to work safely

Information and advice for both employers and employees is available on our Getting Back to Work Safely web page.

Helpful resources for employers and employees

• Coronavirus business support from government
• COVID-19: guidance for employees
• the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), who link to support available for businesses
• the Federation of Small Businesses, who give advice and guidance for small businesses and the self-employed
• the BEST Growth Hub, who list regional and national organisations that can help businesses
• ACAS, who offer a range of advice and support to businesses
• the University of Essex has created a range of business webinars

Business helplines

• You can contact the government’s Business Support Helpline for free advice on 0300 456 3565. Lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm
• HMRC operates a helpline for businesses on 0800 0159 559.

Receive alerts about local business support

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Contact the Brentwood Borough Council Economic Development team

If you need further assistance email business@brentwood.gov.uk with your enquiry.