Guidance

Check if you're eligible for a coronavirus Restart Grant

The Restart Grant scheme supports businesses in the non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure, personal care and accommodation sectors with a one-off grant, to reopen safely as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

• From: Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
• Published: 19 March 2021
• Last updated: 19 March 2021 — See all updates

This guidance was withdrawn on 2 July 2021

The Restart Grant closed to new applications on 30 June 2021. If you haven’t received your payment by 31 July 2021 please contact your local council.

Applies to England

The Restart Grant scheme supports businesses in reopening safely as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. Grants are available from 1 April 2021.

Eligible businesses in the non-essential retail sector may be entitled to a one-off cash grant of up to £6,000 from their local council.

Eligible businesses in the hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym sectors may be entitled to a one-off cash grant of up to £18,000 from their local council.

Eligibility

Your business may be eligible if it is:

• based in England
• rate-paying
• in the non-essential retail, hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care or gym sectors
• trading on 1 April 2021

Businesses excluded from the fund

You cannot get funding if your business:

• is in administration, insolvent or has been struck off the Companies House register
• has exceeded the permitted subsidy allowance

You must notify your local council if your situation changes and you no longer meet the eligibility criteria.

Subsidy allowance

This scheme is covered by 3 subsidy allowances:

• Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance – you’re allowed up to £335,000 (subject to exchange rates) over any period of 3 years
• COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance – you’re allowed up to £1,600,000
• 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 £9,000,000, provided certain conditions are met

Grants under these 3 allowances can be combined for a potential total allowance of up to £10,935,000 (subject to exchange rates).

What you get

Local councils will use their discretion to determine whether businesses meet the eligibility criteria for this grant scheme.

Eligible businesses will be paid:

• a one-off grant of up to £6,000 in the non-essential retail sector
• a one-off grant of up to £18,000 in the hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym sectors

How to apply

Visit your local council’s website to find out how to apply:

Find the website for your local council.

Published 19 March 2021
Last updated 19 March 2021 + show all updates

1. 19 March 2021

   Grants available from 1 April 2021 but applications can be submitted in advance.

2. 19 March 2021

   First published.