The Government has provided funding to help support businesses based in the North Devon who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions.

Eligibility:

Your business may be eligible if you are:

• a business rate payer who is still able to trade but has lost business because of the restrictions
• a non-business rate payer who has been mandated to close
• a non-business rate payer who is still able to trade but has lost business because of the restrictions

Before you make a claim, you must decide if the impact on your business will cause a significant reduction in your income. 

Businesses excluded from the fund:

You cannot get funding if:

• properties in the accommodation sector but which are second homes primarily
• properties that are solely advertised on AirBnB
• bed and breakfast businesses with more than six letting rooms – these are eligible under the Local Restriction Support Grant scheme for ‘closed’ businesses
• properties with a rateable value and that are subject to the lockdown restrictions imposed by the Government are not eligible for this grant. These businesses can apply for financial support through the Local Restriction Support Grant scheme for ‘closed’ businesses 
• businesses that were not trading the day before restrictions were introduced (30 December 2020)
• businesses that are in administration, insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made
• a business that was an undertaking in difficulty on 31 December 2019
• businesses that have reached the permitted state aid level

The grants amounts available:

• if you are a rate payer or non-rate payer for the Lockdown 3.0 period of 05 January 2021 to 15 February 2021 a payment of £750, £1350 or £2001 dependent upon your rateable value or turnover
• if you are in a sector that would have been eligible for a grant during the Tier 3 period 31 December 2020 to 04 January 2020 a pro rata payment of £238 will be added to your award
• if you are a business rate payer who has not been mandated to close but has been impacted either £4000, £6000 or £9000 dependent upon rateable value will be added to your award

How to apply:

https://www.northdevon.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support/business-grants/

You will be asked to make several declarations on your application form in line with the eligibility listed above and your financial position.

Please note: for businesses who are asked to provide a turnover figure (those who are not rate-payers), we realise that the most recent turnover figure you have could be severely impacted by the pandemic and not reflect your ‘normal’ business activity. We would therefore suggest that you use the most recent annual turnover figure you have prior to the 2020/2021 financial year, for example your 2019/2020 or 2018/2019 figure.

You will also be asked to supply the following information:

• UTR (Unique Tax Reference) number if self employed
• Company number (if applicable)
• Charity number (if applicable)
• VAT number (if applicable)
• Business Rates Account Number and rateable value (if applicable)
• Council Tax reference number (if applicable)
• your most recent annual turnover if not a business rates payer
• the number of employees that the business employs both active and those on furlough

You will need to upload a bank statement with your application:

• all documents must include either the name of the applicant or the name of the business, address, sort code and account number
• this must include the period from 30 December 2020