Business Update: Grants, Timing & Wellbeing
Hi everyone,
We hope you are all staying safe and coping as best as you can. This is a quick update on grants, timing of payments and other business support. We appreciate some grant information has been confusing at times, so please take a minute to read this and get in touch if there is anything we can help you with.
____________
Grants Update
Over the last week Warwick District Council has been preparing for the next round(s) of business grants and we are able to update you with the following. This is a helpful link, and the summary is below:
There are 2 schemes under part 3 of the National lockdown from 5 January 2021 onwards as below:
1. National lockdown part 3 grant scheme
Ongoing 14 day payments to all rated businesses mandated to close due to the third lockdown. If you have already received your second national lockdown payment, LRSG closed, sector or open payment you do not need to do anything further. WDC will automatically pay you a 6 week bulk payment of these closed payments by the week commencing 18 January. Please see the link above to find out the values.
2. One off top up grant to all rated businesses mandated to close due to the third lockdown.
The government announced a one off top up payment for all businesses mandated to close during the third national lockdown. This scheme will end on 31 March 2021.
WDC are able to make these payments to you automatically – you do not need to reapply. The only businesses that need to complete an application form are those that have not already had their second national lockdown grant (for the November lockdown).
The amounts you will get are as follows:
- RV £15,000 or under : £4000
- RV £15,001 – £50,999 : £6000
- RV £51,000 and over: £9000
To find out your RV please click here.
____________
Grants: Last Call – Tier 3 OPEN Scheme Grants (Gyms, Fitness Centres, Catering Companies, Hotels, etc)
The WDC retrospective ‘open’ scheme hasn’t had much uptake. This related to the period from December 2nd to 30th for businesses who were NOT mandated to close during Tier 3. The criteria was set by the government and quite narrow, but it will apply to some of you.
The finding is allocated on a first come first served basis, so if you meet the criteria below, please use the links to apply. The business must be:
- Either rated or non-rated
- Wedding caterers and organisers/planners
- Corporate events organisers – including caterers that supply corporate events
- Hotels, guest accommodation that remained open for key workers but did not get the CLOSED grant
- Gyms, fitness centres and spas (not personal care services though)
- Businesses affected by the cancellation of sporting events or spectators at such events
- Riding schools, public halls, arena, farm parks and outdoor adventure activities
We are certain there must be companies that need these funds. The business does not need to be rated in order to apply. It’s a one off payment for the period above as the open scheme has finished now we’re in lockdown.
The website details are here:
Here is the link to the application form:
Here is the actual application form:
https://openportal.warwickdc.gov.uk/scripts/OPENPortal-Live.wsc/ndr/ndrlrsgrant.p
Additional NOTE on ARG-Part D: You will also see information on WDC’s website at this link (please click here) about ARG-Part D funding. This is for Non-rated retail, leisure and hospitality businesses, which does notinclude the majority of our members (as you have rated business premises). That said, please pass this information on to any non-rated suppliers, friends or collaborators if you know them.
____________
Timing of Payments – And Follow-up
For the most part, if you have received previous grants into your bank account – including the second lockdown grant, further funding should come through automatically. However, if you have still not received anything – or think something is missing, please email: visiting.officers@warwickdc.gov.uk. Please include all your property details and the details of the grants in question above. We are happy if you ‘cc’ us.
In terms of timing and amounts, as you will see below, this depends on if we were in Tier 3, 4 or locked down – and on if the business was open or closed (so retail or hospitality). These schemes have also over-lapped, and payments will be combined as follows:
- As of Tuesday afternoon (12th Jan), WDC had processed grant payments to everyone eligible who has already received either a second national lockdown grant or a Tier 3 Closed grant, that will cover the period from 30/12/2020 to 15/02/2021. Payments will hopefully be in businesses accounts by the end of the week (Jan 16th). (Please note, payments up to 29/12/20 have all already been made).
- If a business was closed in Tier 3, it will receive 1 day’s grant for the 30/12/20 (this was an extra day that we were in tier 3, so on top of what was already had).
- Closed businesses in Tier 4 will receive 5 day’s grant for the period 31/12/20 – 04/01/21.
- Closed businesses in 3rd National lockdown from 05/01/21 – paid in advance up to 15/02/21 (3 x fortnightly grants) – so are being paid in a lump sum instead of every 2 weeks.
All these payments (above) will be lumped together when they hit the businesses bank account and show as one payment from WDC.
(However, this does not include the ‘One off top up grant of £4K, £6K or £9K’ at No 2 above, which we understand will be separate, but also processed automatically).
In addition to the above, a number have asked about ARG-Part C grant payments. These were the one-off £2000 grants for hospitality businesses. As per the update at this link (please click here), WDC are still in the process of making payments. We are however happy to try to follow these up if we can.
____________
Closing the Grant Gaps – Those Not ‘Mandated to Close’
We are aware that some important businesses are falling through gaps in the ‘grants’ system and not receiving anything. Typically these are businesses that are ‘deemed’ essential and are therefore ‘open’ but who are suffering huge drops in trade / or no trade (e.g. drycleaners, bakeries etc). We are actively speaking to WDC to try to address this. If this sounds like you please get in touch if you haven’t already.
____________
Health, Wellbeing & Support
We are mindful that we are facing worrying circumstances, both personally and in respect to staff. There are a variety of support options available – so please reach out if this would be helpful.
Warwickshire County Council has extended its Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support owners and staff in town centre micro and small businesses with their health and wellbeing. The programme will be available to businesses with 10 or fewer employees operating in the towns of Warwickshire who may need help. This includes access to information, support and guidance (including coaching and counselling where appropriate) on a wide range of topics including work, career, relationships, family, money management, debt and health and wellbeing. Please get in touch with us or email business@warwickshire.gov.uk if you would like to learn more about this. All enquiries are confidential.
Alongside this, our HR provider ‘Absolute Works’ has produced some information, hints and tips on supporting employee wellbeing as we move through 2021. This is in the form of a practical tool that you can use yourself – or in partnership with employees. To access the wellness action plan (pdf), please click here.
Finally, please get in touch if you need HR, financial or legal support as our partners have been generously supporting members over this time.
___________
As always, we continue to lobby for additional support and represent business interests locally and nationally. We are open to ideas to help build community spirit, positivity and support each other. We also continue to support your activities online so, please do not hesitate to keep us updated on what you are doing and reach out if you have any queries.
Best wishes and stay safe,
Steph & Alison