Eligible Rushcliffe business owners urged to apply for discretionary COVID-19 business grants

Rushcliffe Borough Council is now inviting applications from eligible business owners on the COVID-19 Discretionary Business Grants Scheme designed for those yet to receive central government financial support.

This grant is aimed at small businesses who were not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Fund payments in April.

On May 22, the Government published its guidance for Councils developing the new scheme and the authority has now developed a policy which it feels is fair and consistent and which reflects the criteria they have outlined.

Small and micro business owners who have a relatively high ongoing property related costs of more than 15% of overheads are invited to apply as soon as possible for the limited funding.

They need to demonstrate they have suffered a significant fall in income, such as an 80% drop compared to April and May last year due to COVID-19 crisis and are not eligible for certain other business rates based grants.

Businesses also need to have been trading on March 11 this year and will have to provide supporting information and documents to complete the process.

Details of the process and the relevant forms to complete can be found at www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/businesscoronavirus

Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Business and Transformation Cllr Andy Edyvean said: “We appreciate this is a very challenging time for so many businesses and particularly those yet to receive government support.

“We are committed to ensuring these further eligible business owners receive this discretionary grant but urge them to contact us soon as possible to ensure they do not miss out.

“We have paid out over £16m of COVID-19 business rates grant support to over 1,400 eligible businesses across the Borough from the initial grants in April and we hope more can now benefit with this vital resource as businesses look to get back on their feet.”