Overview Of The Additional Restrictions Grant
Impact From Omicron Variant
The Additional Restrictions Grant provides local councils with grant funding for trading businesses that are impacted by coronavirus restrictions and the rise of the Omicron variant.
Funding was first made available in the financial year 2020 to 2021 and can be used across financial years 2020 to 2021 and 2021 to 2022. Local authorities should distribute funding to businesses that require support as quickly as possible.
Ability To Obtain The Additional Restrictions Grant
What Support Is Provided By Local Councils?
Local councils have the autonomy to determine the criteria as to who will be given these grants. The funding for trading businesses should be for those who have been heavily impacted by the restrictions and the rise of the Omicron variant.
Local councils should support:
- Allocation of the first Additional Restrictions Grant top-up payment: businesses from all sectors that have been seriously and heavily affected by restrictions but were not eligible for the Local Restriction Support Grant and Closed Business Lockdown Payment.
- The second two Additional Restrictions Grant top-up payments: businesses from all sectors that may have been severely impacted by restrictions but were not eligible for the Restart Grant scheme, and those sectors that remained closed or were severely impacted by extended restrictions, even if those businesses had already been in receipt of Restart Grants.
- Allocation of the third Additional Restrictions Grant top-up payment: businesses seriously impacted by the rise of the Omicron variant.
Businesses Not Eligible To Claim From The Fund
You cannot get funding if:
- Your business is in administration, insolvent or has been struck off the Companies House register.
- You have exceeded the permitted subsidy allowance.
You must notify your local council if your situation changes and you no longer meet the eligibility criteria, for example, if you become insolvent.
Subsidy Allowance
This scheme is covered by three possible subsidy allowances:
- Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance: you’re allowed up to £335,000 (subject to exchange rates) in Small Amounts of Financial Assistance over any rolling period of three financial years.
- COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance: under this allowance you’re allowed up to £1,900,000 across all COVID-19 Business Grant schemes.
- COVID-19 Business Grant Special Allowance: if you have reached your limits under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance and COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance, you may be able to access a further allowance of funding under these scheme rules of up to £10,000,000 across all COVID-19 Business Grant schemes.
Grants under these three allowances can be combined for a potential total allowance of up to £12,235,000.
How To Apply For The Grant
Where Is Support Provided?
Visit your local council’s website.
