Covid-19 Discretionary Restart Grant for Herefordshire Businesses

Businesses across Herefordshire that have been impacted by this year’s national Covid-19 lockdown restrictions could benefit from a new discretionary grant support.

For businesses and charities that are not eligible for the Restart Grant, a Discretionary Restart Grant is available for those in the following circumstances:

• Were mandated to cease their main trading activity due to the Covid-19 restrictions on 5 January 2021 orthose that have lost 75%+ income due to sectors that were mandated to close on 5 January 2021 ceasing to require their goods or services (such as supply chain businesses to the mandated to close sectors)

For businesses and charities that are not eligible for the Restart Grant or the above Discretionary Restart Grant, the council will consider making a Discretionary Restart Grant – Exceptional Circumstances award for those in the following circumstances:

• Lost 50% or more of their business income (turnover) for January 2021 compared to January 2020 (or October 2020 if not trading in January 2020) as a result of the Covid-19 restrictions or the situation

If you received Discretionary Grant Support funding for the restrictions that came into force on 5 January 2021 (Discretionary Grant Fund 3/Exceptional Circumstances Fund 2) please do not re-apply via this page or make another application. Please action the email we have sent you, if you have not received an email, please see frequently asked questions 1.2 and 1.4.

Further eligibility requirements for both above awards

Your business or charity must:

• Be a micro business, small business or a registered charity^
• Have been trading on 1 April 2021 (see frequently asked question 2.3) within/from Herefordshire
• Employ someone for at least 15 hours per week within/from Herefordshire (charities can include volunteer time) and this can include the business owner(s) or director(s)
• Either have had a premises with a business rating in Herefordshire on 1 April 2021 or can demonstrate that the business or charity trades most weeks of the year from/within Herefordshire

^Exempted or excepted charities are eligible to apply if they have an annual income of £5,000 or above.

Circumstances that are not eligible include:

• Businesses or charities that are eligible for or have received another Covid-19 grant (including a Restart grant or Additional Restrictions Grant/Discretionary Grant but not Self-employed income support scheme or Job Retention Scheme) for the same period, including from another authority
  • The only exception is if businesses have additional rateable premises within Herefordshire that have not received grant support and will lose 50% of turnover for January 2021 related to these premises
• Businesses that are not trading including those in administration, are insolvent, or where a striking-off notice has been made
• Those that have received more than 1,000,000 Euros of state aid in the last financial year and the two financial years preceding it
• Business or charity main activities (above 50%) in fishery aquaculture, forestry, horticulture and primary production and processing of agricultural products
• Public or precept authorities, doctors or dentist surgeries or other similar health centres or premises, communication masts, quarries or other mineral extraction, schools, car parks or other parking spaces, renewable energy generation or other energy installations, premises in personal use, empty premises, premises in occupation by national chains or similar organisations and premises that the business of the applicant is not undertaken from
• Businesses that have owners or directors in common with other businesses applying or have received funding from this grant or any other Covid-19 grant for the same period, will generally be considered ineligible. Businesses in this situation will need to make a strong case around the employment that the business(es) provides within their application to receive an award (see FAQs)

Scheme award levels

A one-off grant will be paid to businesses and charities that meet the eligibility requirements of the scheme. Grant awards will be determined by the number of full-time equivalent employees (FTE) as follows for the different elements of the scheme:

Discretionary Restart Grant For those that were mandated to cease their main trading activity on 5 January 2021 due to the restrictions or have lost 75%+ income due to sectors that are mandated to close on 5 January 2021 ceasing to require their goods or services.

Discretionary Restart Grant – Exceptional Circumstances For those that lost 75% or more of their business income (turnover) for January 2021 compared to January 2020 (or October 2020 if not trading in January 2020) as a result of the Covid-19 restrictions or the situation.

Discretionary Restart Grant – Exceptional Circumstances For those that lost 50% or more of their business income (turnover) for January 2021 compared to January 2020 (or October 2020 if not trading in January 2020) as a result of the Covid-19 restrictions or the situation.

How to apply

Apply online for the discretionary support schemes