Business Grants and Support

Updates

• Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed Addendum) 
  • Online form now available via this link to reconfirm eligibility and contact details for the payment to cover period 16 Feb to 31 March 2021. Once submitted it will result in a payment of:
    • £2,096 for premises with a rateable value of £15,000 or under
    • £3,143 for premises with a rateable value of above £15,000 and below £51,000
    • £4,714 for premises with a rateable value of £51,000 or above
  • The scheme closed for new applications on 31 March 2021 and will be replaced by the Restart Grant Scheme (see below).
• Additional Restrictions Grant
  • Application window currently open (form available via this link) covers the periods: 5 Nov to 1 Dec 2020 (second national lockdown); 2 Dec to 18 Dec (Tier 2 local restrictions); and 19 Dec to 4 Jan 2021 (Tier 3/4 local restrictions).
  • The next application window will cover the months of January (5 to 31), February and March 2021 and will be opening soon.
  • Applications already submitted are being assessed and applicants will be contacted if further information or evidence is required. Payments are also being made to those whose applications have been successful.
  • If you have been asked for further supporting information or evidence please provide this as quickly as possible, as we will not be able to determine whether a grant is payable until after it is received.
• Restart Grant scheme
  • This new scheme will replace the Local Restrictions Support Grant from 1 April 2021. It will provide one-off grants of up to £6,000 per premises for non-essential retail businesses and up to £18,000 per premises for hospitality, leisure, accommodation, gym & sports and personal care businesses. Payment amounts are based upon the rateable value of occupied premises and are as follows: 
    • For non-essential retail businesses
      • £2,667 for premises with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under
      • £4,000 for premises with a rateable value of over £15,000 and less than £51,000
      • £6,000 for premises with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or over
    • For hospitality, leisure, accommodation, gym & sports and personal care businesses
      • £8,000 for premises with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under
      • £12,000 for premises with a rateable value of over £15,000 and less than £51,000
      • £18,000 for premises with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or over
  • The online application form will be available by close of play Tuesday 13 April and payments will be made from Friday 16 April.
• We appreciate the difficult situation that many Gosport businesses are in as a result of the pandemic and are working hard to implement the various grant schemes and make payments as quickly and as diligently as we can.  However as you will appreciate we are also currently assessing a large number of applications for each of the grants and responding to a high volume of related enquiries.
• To be kept informed of all the latest business related news from Gosport Borough Council e.g. council and partner led business support initiatives, business events, funding support and government information please subscribe to our Business Bulletin.

Contents

• Government funded grants during periods of national and local restrictions
• Other Coronavirus (COVID-19) related grants
• Other Government provided Coronavirus (Covid-19) financial support and information
• Locally provided business advice and support

Government funded grants during periods of national and local restrictions

Further information about these grants, including eligibility criteria and payment amounts, is available on our Business Rates webpage.  Please check back regularly on this webpage for updates. 

Other Coronavirus (COVID-19) related grants

Crowdfunder Solent Grant Fund (£2,000 or £5,000)

Update: This match funded grant has been relaunched to assist those small businesses that have been forced to close during the second national lockdown.  Please see the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership website for more details.

The Solent LEP's Crowdfunder Solent fund is seeking projects that can demonstrate how they will help a business cope with current challenging trading conditions. There is a maximum pledge of up to £2,000 per micro business (fewer than 10 staff) and up to £5,000 per small business (fewer than 50 staff) available, contributing up to 50% towards the total target.  For more details please see the Solent LEP website. 

Other Government provided coronavirus (Covid-19) financial support and information

Please see the following links for the information and latest updates on the business support provided by the Government, including:

• Financial support for businesses during coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Support for the self-employed and sole traders (also see Money Advice Service information)
  • Claim a grant through the Self-employment Income Support Scheme
  • Self-employment and Universal Credit
  • If you cannot pay your tax bill on time
  • Negotiate a mortgage payment holiday
• Support for small and medium-sized businesses
  • Apply for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme
  • Apply for a coronavirus Bounce Back Loan
• Support for large businesses
  • Apply for the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme
  • Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
• Government funded business support grants
• Working safely during coronavirus (COVID19)
• Register to order free lateral flow coronavirus tests for your employees (for businesses with 50+ employees who cannot work from home)
  • businesses with less than 50 employees who cannot work from home can use the COVID-19 Rapid Community Testing Site in Gosport

Locally provided business advice and support

• Both Enterprise South and WSX Enterprise are offering free 1-2-1 advice to local start-up and small businesses.
• The Solent Local Enterprise Partnership's Coronavirus Support Hub includes grant and loan fund schemes as well as other information, advice and support
• Federation of Small Businesses 
• Hampshire Chamber of Commerce's Chamber of Solutions 'Covid-19'