Kirklees Together

Businesses affected by the Covid-19 restrictions can now apply for financial grants through Kirklees Council’s website.

The Government have launched four new grant schemes to help those businesses that continue to be the most severely impacted by restricted socialising and national lockdown measures.

Kirklees has been allocated £19,932,628 across the grant schemes based on estimates provided by the Valuation Office Agency of eligible businesses in the borough.

How can I apply?

The Council have now opened applications for three of the four grants using a single, online form to make it easier and quicker for businesses to apply.

Most grants follow national guidance, with no local discretion, and businesses may be asked to supply evidence of their circumstances to support their application.

• The Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open) supports businesses that were not legally required to close, but have been severely impacted by the Tier 2 restrictions on socialising, such as in the hospitality and leisure industries. Businesses that do not pay business rates directly to Kirklees Council such as those in shared workspaces, or bed and breakfasts can also apply. This grant can be backdated to when Tier 2 restrictions were introduced on 5 August up to 4 November, when the national lockdown came into force. Grants are based on rateable values with awards ranging from £934 to £2,100 per 28 days.
• Non-essential businesses forced to close in England from 5 November as part of the national lockdown measures such as pubs, cinemas, hair, beauty and nail salons, could receive grants worth up to £3,000 per 28 days under the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed).
• The Local Restrictions Support Grant (Sector) is aimed at those businesses which have been closed since the beginning of the pandemic have not been able to open since, such as nightclubs. The ‘Sector’ grant covers the period 1 November to 4 November. From 5 November, when the national lockdown measures came into force, these businesses can claim the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed).

Councilllor Shabir Pandor, Leader of Kirklees Council said:

“Local businesses are experiencing an incredibly difficult and challenging time once again due to Covid-19 restrictions. So these extra grants are very welcome, and should provide at least some financial relief.

 

This new financial support builds on over 9,000 coronavirus-related business grants we have already paid out to businesses in Kirklees during the pandemic, totalling over £100 million so far.

 

These grants cannot be awarded automatically but our single, online form will make it easier and quicker for businesses to apply for the funding available to them.

 

I’d urge those who think they would qualify to check the government rules and if they think they might qualify apply now so we can start the process of checking their eligibility and get the correct payments to them.”

How do I check if I can get support?

Businesses can check what financial support they are entitled to using the online checker tool at GOV.UK

From the council’s allocated funding, £8,795,740 will be used for a discretionary Additional Restrictions Grant for which the Council has some say in how the money is spent. Cabinet Members will finalise the qualifying criteria for the discretionary grant on 26 November and the council will open applications in early December.

For further information, or to make a grant application visit www.kirklees.gov.uk/coronavirusbusiness