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

To enable Folkestone & Hythe District Council to award grants announced in the COVID-19 response to businesses, we are asking that ratepayers complete the electronic form below.

We have begun processing and issuing grant payments and are working through these as quickly as possible. If you have received a letter advising you that you may qualify for a grant and have already submitted a form, you do not need to complete another form or call us to tell us that you have done so.

To qualify for the grants applicants must have a business rates liability.

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 GOV.UK website

FAQs General COVID-19 Business Support Grants

Please view some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) relating to Business Support Grants. Icon for word 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

Apply to Business Grant Fund

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