Registration is now open for grants for Worcester businesses that have been forced to close between 5 November and 2 December 2020.These include non-essential retail, leisure, hospitality, entertainment and personal care businesses.
Businesses are eligible for the following Local Restrictions Support Grants, covering the 28-day lockdown period:
- Businesses occupying properties with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under will receive a payment of £1,334
- Businesses occupying properties with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 will receive a payment of £2,000
- Businesses occupying properties with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or above will receive £3,000.
In order to be eligible for these latest grants, businesses in the above categories must have been registered for business rates on 5 November and prior to this must have been
- open as usual
- providing in-person services to customers from their business premises
and were then required to close.
Businesses that have chosen to operate as a takeaway or click-and-collect service, or to offer online ordering with delivery services, as part of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic are eligible for this grant. This is because these businesses are still deemed to be 'closed' as their main business has had to close. However, businesses that were already mainly operating as take-aways can continue to operate and will not be eligible for the grant.
Businesses that were already substantially operating as take-aways can continue to operate and will not be eligible for the grant.
Shane Flynn, Worcester City Council's Director of Resources, said: "We are working hard to provide Worcester businesses with appropriate advice and support at this challenging time.
"If you think your business qualifies for a grant, we urge you to register on our website now and we will process the payment as soon as we can."
The Council is asking businesses that believe they qualify for a grant to register via www.worcester.gov.uk/coronavirus.
For further information on the Government's latest national restrictions, go to:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november#businesses-and-venues
Businesses can sign up to a City Council newsletter to keep them up to date with the support available by emailing
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The Government has published a detailed list of the categories of businesses and venues that are required to close at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close/closing-certain-businesses-and-venues-in-england
