If you've already applied to us for a Business Support Grant, please do not re-apply.

Tier 4 and January’s National Lockdown

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Businesses who pay Business Rates)

The government has advised us that Business Support will be available for all businesses who pay Business Rates, who were obliged to close as a result of the National Lockdown, which started on 5 January.

The available support is in 3 payments;

Payment 1: Tier 4 Payment (30 December 2020 to 4 January 2021)

Prior to the National Lockdown, Warrington was placed under Tier 4 Restrictions. There is support available for this short period of time, prior to January’s National Lockdown

Payment 2: National Lockdown (started 5 January)

There are 2 awards that are available to support businesses through the National Lockdown, which started on 5 January

Payment 2A: Local Restrictions Support Grant

This award is available to all businesses who are obliged to be closed through January’s National Lockdown.

The award covers an initial 6 week period – 5 January 2021 to 15 February 2021 and is based on the Rateable Value of your business premise;

If the Rateable Value of your business premise is less than £15,000, then the payment for the 6 week period from 5 January 2021 to 15 February 2021, is £2,001
If the Rateable Value of your business premise is between £15,001 and £51,000, then the payment for the 6 week period from 5 January 2021 to 15 February 2021, is £3,000
If the Rateable Value of your business premise is greater than £15,000, then the payment for the 6 week period from 5 January2021 to 15 February 2021, is £4,500

Please note: if the National Lockdown continues to be in place, beyond 15 February then we expect further support to be made available.

Payment 2B: Closed Business Lockdown Payment

This award is also available to all businesses who are obliged to be closed through January’s National Lockdown.

This award is a one-off award to support businesses through January’s National Lockdown. The award is based on the Rateable Value of your business premise;

If the Rateable Value of your business premise is less than £15,000, then the one-off Closed Business Lockdown Payment award is £4,000
If the Rateable Value of your business premise is between £15,001 and £51,000, then the one-off Closed Business Lockdown Payment award is £6,000
If the Rateable Value of your business premise is greater than £15,000, then the one-off Closed Business Lockdown Payment award is £9,000

How Do I Apply For This Award?

If you applied to us for a business grant during November’s National Lockdown, then you do NOT need to apply again. We will use the details from that application to pay the grants outlined above. Please only contact us if you need to tell us that you’ve changed your bank details since then.

If you did NOT apply to us for a business grant during November’s National Lockdown, then please email us at localrestrictionssupportgrant@warrington.gov.uk

When Will This Award Be Made?

We are aiming to make Tier 4 Payment and the Local Restrictions Support Grant (January National Lockdown) by 15 January (to be in your bank accounts early week commencing 18 January).

Additional Restrictions Grant (Businesses who do not pay Business Rates)

If your business received an Additional Restrictions Grant payment covering the National Lockdown in November, then you will shortly receive an extra Additional Restrictions Grant awards.

You will receive an award covering the National Lockdown that commenced on 5 January 5and runs to the 15 February. If the National Lockdown continues after this date, then further payments are likely to be made.

How Do I Apply For This Award?

If you applied to us for Additional Restrictions Grant during November’s National Lockdown, then you do NOT need to apply again. We will use the details from that application to make the payments outlined above. Please only contact us if you need to tell us that you’ve changed your bank details since then.

If you did NOT apply to us for a business grant during November’s National Lockdown, then please email us at additionalrestrictionssupportgrant@warrington.gov.uk

When Will This Award Be Made?

We are aiming to make both additional payments by 18 January (to be in your bank accounts by 22 January).

Wet-Led Pubs Christmas Support Payment

The Government has also announced further support for Pubs who derive under 50% of their income from food sales.

Eligible businesses in this category, will receive a flat fee award of £1,000.

If you have not received an email from us and believe you may be eligible, please email WetLedPubChristmasSupportPayment@Warrington.gov.uk

The Local Restrictions Support Grant - 5 November - 2 December 2020

The intention of the Local Restrictions Support Grant is to support businesses who were legally mandated to close on 5 November.

This grant will provide support for those businesses, up to the scheduled end of the national restrictions on 2 December. If the national restrictions continue after that date, then a further grant will be made available.

This grant is payable to businesses who pay Non-Domestic Rates (Business Rates), with the award amount based on the rateable value of your business premises.

If the rateable value of your business premise is £15,000 or less, the value of the award is £1,334
If the rateable value of your business premise is between £15,000 and £50,999, the value of the award is £2,000
If the rateable value of your business premise is £51,000 or higher, the amount of the award is £3,000
If your business has multiple premises, then each qualifying premise may be eligible for a grant (based on the rateable value of each – as above)

Businesses which have had to close as a result of the national restrictions that came into effect on 5 November are:

Non-essential retail businesses
Hospitality, entertainment, accommodation and leisure businesses
Personal care businesses (for example, nail, beauty, hairdressing, tanning salons)
Some community venues

Cafes and Restaurants which operate primarily as in-person venues but have been forced to close and instead provide takeaway-only or delivery services are eligible for this Grant.

Businesses that are able to continue to trade because they don't depend on providing direct in-person services from premises, and can operate their services remotely, are not eligible for this Grant.

Find further information on the government's mandated closures, starting 5 November via GOV.UK.

This grant is also available for businesses who were obliged to close in March, and who have not been able to re-open, due to national restrictions. These include nightclubs and discos (who have not re-purposed their business to become a bar) and sexual entertainment venues, such as hostess bars.

If you haven't already applied for this award, please email localrestrictionssupportgrant@warrington.gov.uk

The Additional Restrictions Grant - 5 November - 2 December 2020

The purpose of the Additional Restrictions Grant is to support businesses in either of the following two categories:

Businesses who do not pay Non-Domestic Rates (Business Rates) and who were legally mandated to close on 5 November
Businesses who are involved in the supply chain (or are otherwise closely involved) with the hospitality, leisure, accommodation, entertainment, personal care or market trading sectors, who were not forced to close on 5 November, but have experienced adverse financial impact as a result of the introduction of local restrictions

This grant will provide support for those businesses, up to the scheduled end of the national restrictions on 2 December.

The government has not currently informed us as to whether this grant will be extended, should national restrictions continue beyond that point.

The amount of the award will vary based on the size of the eligible business.

If you haven't already applied for this award, please email localrestrictionssupportgrant@warrington.gov.uk

Retrospective awards - 5 November - 2 December 2020

The government also announced a grant which is available for those businesses in Warrington affected by 'High Local Restrictions' and 'Very High Local Restrictions' (more commonly referred to as Tier 2 and Tier 3).

Those businesses who were forced to close when Warrington entered Very High Restrictions (Tier 3) on 27 October, will be eligible for a retrospective award covering the period 27 October to 4 November.

Only businesses in the hospitality, leisure, accommodation and entertainment sectors who were adversely impacted by the introduction of High Local Restrictions (Tier 2), introduced in Warrington on 14 October, will be eligible for a retrospective award covering the period 14 October to 4 November.

Advice and support

Self-employed and recently started businesses

We aim to provide support to the self-employed sector and businesses who have recently commenced trading. If you fall into either of these categories, please email Warrington&Co where our dedicated Business Support team will provide advice and further guidance.

Advice for employers and business owners

We're working with our partners to ensure that local businesses are given the support and advice they need at this time. For all the latest employer and business information and guidance, please visit GOV.UK.

Supporting your employees

People who follow advice to stay at home, and who cannot work as a result, are eligible for statutory sick pay (SSP), even if they're not ill themselves. As an employer, you're expected to use your discretion and respect the medical need to self-isolate in making decisions about sick pay.

You can support staff who are not eligible to receive sick pay by letting them know that they can claim Universal Credit and or contributory Employment and Support Allowance.

For more information about coronavirus, sick pay and benefits, please visit the Universal Credit website.

Statutory sick pay refunds

For businesses with fewer than 250 employees, the cost of providing 14 days of statutory sick pay per employee will be refunded in full by the government. In doing so, the government will provide two million businesses with up to £2billion to cover the costs of large-scale sick leave.