Support for businesses - Coronavirus (COVID-19)

This scheme closed on 30 April 2021.

The government has announced further support for businesses that were mandated to close from 5 November as a consequence of national restrictions. This information relates to the local restrictions support grant (LRSG) and the closed business support payments which is for businesses within the business rates system.

Please note: If you have completed a form and received a payment for the period 5 November to 2 December (national lockdown), we will automatically pay you for the following periods that you are eligible for, unless your circumstances have changed.

• National restrictions - 5 November to 2 December 2020 (4 weeks)
• Tier 3 - 3 December to 30 December 2020 (4 weeks)
• Tier 4 - 31 December to 4 January 2021  (5 days)
• National restrictions - 5 January to 15 February 2021 (6 weeks)
• The above schemes close on 31 March 2021
• National restrictions - 6 February to 31 March 2021 (6 weeks 2 days)
  • If you’ve already applied for a grant, you don't need to re-apply. We’ll automatically pay the money into your account as soon as we’ve received the funding.

You still need to complete this form if you have not done so already and have not yet received a payment.

Please read all of the following information carefully before submitting a form.

Who can claim an LRSG business support grant?

You may be able to claim a Local Restrictions Support Grant from us if you pay business rates to Lichfield District Council and your business meets all the following criteria:

• The business was open and trading as usual on the day prior to the restrictions coming into force (or would have been if it were not for any local or national restrictions) and were registered for business rates on that day.
• It is one of the types of business that have been instructed to close. If a business chooses to close they are not eligible for a grant.

You must be the business rates payer. That is the person, or persons, named on the business rates bill. If the business rates bill is in the name of a company, the person who applies for the grant must hold a position of responsibility within the company and be authorised to make the claim on behalf of the business. 

Businesses mandated to close (and therefore eligible for a grant) are:

• Hospitality venues such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs, however food and drink for takeaway (before 10pm and not including alcohol), click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery are permitted.
• Accommodation such as hotels, hostels, guest houses and campsite, except for specific circumstances, for example where the accommodation is someone's main residence, where they cannot return home, for homeless people, or where it is essential to stay there for work purposes.
• Entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, amusement arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, skating rinks, go-karting venues, soft play centres and areas, circuses, funfairs, zoos and other animal attractions, water parks, theme parks. Indoor attractions at botanical gardens, heritage homes and landmarks must also close, though outdoor grounds of these premises can stay open.
• *Personal care facilities such as hair, beauty, tanning and nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services must also close. It is also prohibited to provide these services in other people’s homes.
• *Community centres and halls except for a limited number of exempt activities, libraries can also remain open to provide access to IT and digital services - for example for people who do not have access at home - and for click-and-collect.
• *Places of worship apart from for the purposes of independent prayer, and service broadcasting and funerals.
• *Non-essential retail such as clothing and homeware stores, vehicle showrooms (other than for rental), betting shops, tailors, tobacco and vape shops, electronic goods and mobile phone shops, and market stalls selling non-essential goods. These venues can continue to be able to operate click-and-collect (where goods are pre-ordered and collected off the premises) and delivery services.
• *Leisure and sports facilities such as leisure centres and gyms, swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, golf courses, fitness and dance studios, climbing walls, archery, driving, and shooting ranges.

*These businesses will only receive payments for the national restrictions and Tier 4 restrictions as they were not required to close under Tier 3

Specific businesses subject to national closures since 23 March 2020 (e.g. nightclubs) are eligible to claim this grant while national restrictions are in place.

Only businesses mandated to close will be eligible to claim this grant. Exclusions to LSRG are:

• Businesses that were not open and trading on the day before the restrictions came into force.
• Businesses that have chosen to close, but have not been required to.
• Businesses that are able to continue to trade because they do not depend on providing direct in-person services from premises and can operate their services effectively remotely (e.g. accountants, solicitors).
• Businesses that have already received grant payments that equal the maximum levels of state aid permitted under the de minimis and the Covid-19 Temporary State Aid Framework.
• Businesses that are in administration, are insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made.

Only businesses listed on our business rates system (and have a business rates account number) will be eligible. You must be the registered ratepayer(s) on our business rate system on the date of the first full day of national or local restrictions. If you claim this grant and it becomes clear at a later date you were not the ratepayer on the eligible day, you will be liable to repay the grant in full. We will take further action to recover the grant if needed.

How much you can receive – local restrictions support grant (closed)

Businesses will be entitled to receive a grant for each eligible premises. A separate form needs to be made for each qualifying premises. Grant payments will be made on a 14 payment cycle for as long as national restrictions apply. This will start from 5 November 2020 and payment amounts will be:

• If your business is eligible and has a property with a rateable value of £15,000 or under, you’ll receive a cash grant of £667 for each two-week period your business is closed.
• If your business is eligible and has a property with a rateable value of £15,001 up to and including £50,999, you’ll receive a cash grant of £1,000 for each two-week period your business is closed.
• If your business is eligible and has a property with a rateable value of £51,000 or above, you'll receive a cash grant of £1,500 for each two-week period your business is closed

Depending on when your application is received, we will pay all sums due at the time of your application and then automatically for any periods after that date. Payments will be prorated for the period 31 December to 4 January 2021.

Closed Business support payments

You do not need to complete a separate form to receive this grant.  We will use the information provided for the Local Restrictions Support Grant (closed) scheme and the same conditions apply to those who can receive this grant. This scheme closes on 31 March 2021. This is a one off payment and you will receive:

• £4,000 to business with a rateable value of £15,000 or below.
• £6,000 to a business with a rateable value between £15,001 and £50,999.
• £9,000 to a business with a rateable value of £51,000 and above.

State aid limits

Any business that has reached the limits of payments permissible under the de minimis and the UK Covid-19 Temporary State Aid Framework will not be able to receive further grant funding. 

This means that your business may not receive more than €800,000 in Covid-19 grant funding. Find out more about state aid.

Read the full government guidance

Application form

Please note: the application deadline was 30 April 2021 and this grant can no longer be applied for.