Apply for the coronavirus Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund
The Discretionary Grant Fund supports small and micro businesses that are not eligible for other grant schemes.
Applies to England
Small and micro businesses with fixed property costs that are not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund may be eligible for the Discretionary Grants Scheme.
What you get
You can get a grant of £25,000, £10,000 or any amount under £10,000.
Eligibility
You may be eligible if your business:
- is based in England
- has relatively high ongoing fixed property-related costs
- occupies property (or part of a property) with a rateable value or annual mortgage/rent payments below £51,000
- was trading on 11 March 2020
You will need to show that your business has suffered a significant fall in income due to coronavirus.
We’ve asked local councils to prioritise businesses such as:
- small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces, such as units in industrial parks or incubators
- regular market traders
- bed and breakfasts paying council tax instead of business rates
- charity properties getting charitable business rates relief, which are not eligible for small business rates relief or rural rate relief
Local councils have discretion about how to prioritise this funding. Please check with your council for details of their scheme.
You cannot apply if your business is in administration, insolvent or has received a striking-off notice.
If you’re already claiming funding
You cannot apply if you’re already claiming under another government grant scheme, such as:
- Small Business Grant Fund
- Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant
- Fisheries Response Fund
- Domestic Seafood Supply Scheme
- Zoos Support Fund
- Dairy Hardship Fund
You’re still eligible if you’ve applied for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme or the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.
Businesses that apply for the discretionary grants scheme can still apply for coronavirus-related loans if they’re eligible.
If you already get state aid
The discretionary grants fund counts towards state aid.
Payments of £10,000 or less count towards the total de minimis state aid you’re allowed to get over a 3 year period - €200,000. If you have reached that threshold, you may still be eligible for funding under the COVID-19 Temporary Framework.
Payments of £25,000 count as state aid under the COVID-19 Temporary Framework. The limit for the framework is €800,000.
Your local council will ask you to complete a declaration confirming that:
- you will not exceed the relevant state aid threshold
- you were not an ‘undertaking in difficulty’ on 31 December 2019. This applies only to the COVID-19 Temporary Framework
How to apply
The Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund is now closed.
What happens next
Your local council will run an application process and decide whether to offer you a grant.
You do not have to pay the grant back but it will be taxable. Only businesses which make an overall profit once grant income is included will be subject to tax.
Updates to this page
Last updated 8 June 2020 + show all updates
-
Eligibility points confirmed: your business should have ongoing fixed property-related costs, and occupy property (or part of a property) with a rateable value or annual mortgage/rent payments below £51,000.
-
First published.