COVID-19 business grant updates
These pages have been updated with details of changes to grants and business relief announced in the national budget on Wednesday 3 March. We have added details of which businesses qualify, grant amounts, and how to receive your payment.
We've collated details of advice and support for businesses in York:
- Retail, Hospitality & Leisure, and Nursery Business Rate Discount
- Make sure you’re good to go
- Grants and financial support
- Extra support
- Get updates by email
- Coronavirus business advice
- COVID-19 considerations during deliveries and collections
Retail, Hospitality & Leisure, and Nursery Business Rate Discount
At the Budget on 3 March 2021, the Chancellor announced that ratepayers eligible for the above will receive a discount on their business rates bills for the year 2021/22 of:
100% discount for the first three months and 66% discount for the remainder of the year.
If your business is eligible your enclosed bill for 2021/2022 will show 100% discount from April 2021. This will change from 1st July 2021 when we will issue an adjusted bill to all eligible businesses before July showing 66% discount for the period from 1st July 2021 to 31st March 2022.
From 1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022, the Expanded Retail Discount will apply at 66% discount for eligible properties in the scheme. The discount is capped at £2m for businesses that were required to close as at 5 January 2021, and up to £105,000 for business permitted to open at that date.
More information can be found at businesssupport.gov.uk/.
Businesses that wish to opt out of the Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Rate discount scheme, or Nursery discount scheme may do so by contacting business.rates@york.gov.uk before 30th April 2022. Please note that any business opting out of this scheme cannot withdraw their refusal for either all or part of the financial year.
Make sure you’re good to go
You can now apply for a free UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark to reassure your customers that your business adheres to Government and public health guidance.
If you have read and implemented the Government’s COVID-19 reopening guidance, understand the guidance from Public Health England and have a COVID-19 Risk Assessment in place, you can apply for the industry standard mark by simply completing a self-assessment through the online platform.
This includes a checklist confirming you have put the necessary processes in place. You will then receive a certification and the ‘We’re Good To Go’ mark to display on your premises and online.
More information can be found at the Visit Britain website
Grants and financial support
The government has announced support for businesses and self-employed people to help them through national restrictions, including payments for some sectors which have been closed since March (nightclubs, discotheques and adult entertainment venues).
Payments for those businesses affected by local restrictions, covering 2 weeks when York was in level 2 (high) are also available to eligible businesses.
Extra support
For ongoing support and advice you can talk to any of your industry, or to other representative organisations for coronavirus help and support for your business, such as:
The Federation of Small Businesses has resources and information to help small businesses through the coronavirus outbreak.
The Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility are providing a quick and cost-effective way to raise working capital for large firms who need it. Information, including which lenders to contact, is available on the Bank of England’s website.
HMRC are delivering a programme of webinars on measures to support businesses and workers through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19.
Get updates by email
Register for council updates so we can keep you updated on 'business services' of interest to you.
Coronavirus business advice
- Government Bounce Back Loans
- Recruitment and redundancy support
- Skills and training
- Help for charities
- Employee benefit advice
- Hiring an apprentice
The government has announced a package of measures to support businesses and help pay wages:
- government guidance on which businesses should remain closed due to coronavirus
- financial support for businesses
- guidance and support for employees
- guidance for employers
- bans on evictions for commercial tenants who miss rent payments
- guidance for transport sector staff
- ACAS advice for employers and employees
COVID-19 considerations during deliveries and collections
- clear customer and colleague communication of amended safe working practices in advance of deliveries/collection
- 2 metre social distancing measures in place throughout the full process i.e. politely declining handshakes, customers not to assist in unloading/ loading products, contact free confirmations of acceptance of delivery/collections, contact free product familiarisation
- store set up in accordance with the latest company social distancing principles in line with Government guidance
- click and collect system implemented according to social distancing principles
- safely segregated collection/ return bays set up to facilitate contact free collections/ returns
- customers to load their own vehicles; assistance can be provided only where 2m distancing can be maintained
If you have any questions concerning the interpretation of any of the coronavirus regulations and guidance please contact Public Protection:
- Email: public.protection@york.gov.uk
- Telephone: 01904 551525