Small Business Grant Fund and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund Guidance

The Small Business and Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Grant schemes have now closed.

£24,915,000 in Small Business and Retail, Leisure and Hospitality grants have been made to 2,160 business premises in the district during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A further £1,230,000 has also been awarded through the Folkestone & Hythe Discretionary Business Grant Scheme. The remainder of the funding is expected to be awarded to applications currently being assessed by the end of August.

These grants have been vital to our local economy - helping ensure the survival of shops, cafes, hotels, restaurants and many other businesses.

Small Business Grant Fund & Retail (SBGF), Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF) (Version 3) - updated guidance 1st April 2020

This guidance sets out updated details and eligibility criteria for the SBGF and RHLGF and informs local authorities about the operation and delivery of the 2 funding schemes. Please view latest updates on the GOV.UK website.

Declaration of receipt of state aid

Companies in receipt of any state aid are required to declare this by completing the Declaration of State Aid Form. 

Before filling in the form you may wish to look at an example of how to complete it. 

State aid declaration - worked example [182.12KB]

Confirmation of State Aid received form

Following the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the European Commission has approved schemes to aid businesses affected by the Coronavirus outbreak on the basis of their Temporary Framework, including the COVID-19 Temporary Framework scheme for the UK.

The maximum level of aid that a company may receive is €800,000 (€120,000 per undertaking active in the fishery and aquaculture sector or €100,000 per undertaking active in the primary production of agricultural products). This is across all UK schemes under the terms of the European Commission's Temporary Framework.

The Euro equivalent of the Sterling aid amount is calculated using the Commission exchange rate applicable on the date the aid is offered.

Any aid provided under this scheme will be relevant if you wish to apply, or have applied, for any other aid granted on the basis of the European Commission's Temporary Framework. You will need to declare this amount to any other aid awarding body who requests information from you on how much aid you have received. You must retain this letter for four years after the conclusion of the UK's transition from the EU and produce it on any request from the UK public authorities or the European Commission.

Aid may be granted to undertakings that were not in difficulty (within the meaning of Article 2(18) of the General Block Exemption Regulation) on 31 December 2019, but that faced difficulties or entered in difficulty thereafter as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

This aid is in addition any aid that you may be have received under the De Minimis regulation allowing aid of up to €200,000 to any one organisation over a three fiscal year period (i.e. your current fiscal year and previous two fiscal years), and any other approved aid you have received under other State aid rules, such as aid granted under the General Block Exemption Regulation.
 

FAQs General COVID-19 Business Support Grants

Please view some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) relating to Business Support Grants. FAQs General Covid-19 Business Support Grants [83.22KB]

Small Business Grant Fund

Hereditaments included in this scheme are those which on 11 March 2020:

• were eligible for relief under the business rate Small Business Rate Relief Scheme or the Rural Rate Relief Scheme
• have a rateable value up to £15,000 and that are occupied for Business use only
• Hereditaments occupied for personal use are excluded i.e. beach huts, private stables, moorings.
• Car parks and parking spaces do not qualify.
• Businesses that were in liquidation or dissolved as at 11 March 2020 will not be eligible.

Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant

• Hereditaments which on the 11 March 2020 had a rateable value of less than £51,000 and would have been eligible for a discount under the business rates Expanded Retail Discount Scheme had that scheme been in force for that date are eligible for the grant.
• Similar restrictions apply as with the Small Business Grant Fund.
• There will be one grant per hereditament.

For further guidance on business rates and retail discounts

Keep up to date on further Gov.UK announcements on Business Grants Fund