Cash grants website for struggling small firms is launched by Sheffield City Council

The authority has set up a site handling applications for £10,000 for businesses on Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief, £10,000 for retail, hospitality or leisure businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or less and £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000.

It also includes a list of rules stating grants are for business properties only, not per business, and only one grant per property.

Premises occupied for ‘personal use’ are excluded, as are firms in liquidation as of March 11, or those ‘in difficulty’ as of December 31.

It also states retail, leisure and hospitality grants are only available to businesses receiving the ‘Expanded Retail Discount’ with a rateable value of less than £51,000. Read the full guidance here. Read the Expanded Retail Discount guidance

To apply, bosses need to supply evidence they are a business, such as VAT Registration number, company number as regsitered with Companies House or Unique Taxpayer Reference for the self-employed.

Applicants also need to provide their business rates account number, bank details and evidence of a business bank account, this can be a scan or photo of your statement or any bank letter.

The website adds: ‘If you do not have one or more of these, we can still take your application however this may delay the processing of your grant.’

Apply here.

The scheme was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Budget on 11 March.

Coun Mazher Iqbal, cabinet member for business and investment at Sheffield City Council, said: “We understand that this is a very difficult and uncertain time for businesses, so we are working to provide as much clarity and guidance as possible.

“Our many independent businesses do so much to contribute to our city and we must do everything we can to support them.

“We are providing advice via our advisers at Business Sheffield and as we receive further updates from Government our team will continue to share this information with local businesses so they are aware of how this affects them and the support available to them.”

Meanwhile, companies in the leisure, retail or hospitality sector and Ofsted-registered nurseries will receive a business rate holiday during 2020/21. They will be re-billed by Sheffield City Council.

Sheffield City Council is also delaying the start of 2020/21 business rate collection. This means no business rates payments will be requested in April.

Email queries to: [email protected].

Business Sheffield, Sheffield City Council’s business support team, aims to help companies navigate the support on offer.

Call 0114 224 5000 or email [email protected]

The financial measures announced by Government include:

- Job Retention Scheme

Support to defer VAT and income Tax payments

- A statutory sick pay relief package for SMEs

- The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to support long-term viable businesses who may need to respond to cash-flow pressures by seeking additional finance

- The COVID-19 Corporate Financing Loan Facility

- Support to defer VAT and Income Tax payments

- The HMRC Time To Pay Scheme Insurance