How to get a Government coronavirus grant

23 Mar 2020 | 4 min read

Coronavirus: Support and recovery Financial Aid Help Centre

Updated: 4 May 2020

Many of you are asking us if your business is eligible for UK Government aid during the coronavirus outbreak. And how and when can you get the money. This post answers your questions about the grants for small businesses.

Crucially, your business is only eligible for a grant if you have a property on which you pay rates. Instead, if you’re self-employed, you might be eligible for the Self Employed Income Support Scheme.

England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland

Here’s what’s in this post:

£10,000 grant for small businesses
£10,000 or £25,000 grant for retail, hospitality and leisure
Can you get both grants?
Are the Government coronavirus grants taxable?
Summary of all Government aid for businesses
Grants for small businesses in Scotland
Grants for small businesses in Wales
Grants for small businesses in Northern Ireland

£10,000 grant for small businesses

What is it?

This scheme is called the Small Business Grant Scheme. Via local authorities, it will give grants to small businesses that get small business rate relief (SBBR) and/or rural rate relief (RRR).

The Scheme will give one-off grants of £10,000 to eligible businesses.

Is your business eligible?

You’re eligible for a grant under the Small Business Grant Scheme if you match all these criteria:

Your business:

is based in England, and
occupies a property, and
already receives small business rate relief (SBRR) and/or rural rate relief

Can’t remember if you get one of these types of rate relief? Check your latest rates bill – the relief is shown on there. Alternatively, ask your accountant.

Similar schemes are available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – see below for details.

How and when do you get the money?

You don’t need to do anything yet. Your local council will contact you if your business is eligible.

Eligible businesses will get the full £10,000

The Government announced that these grants will be available in early April 2020. To find out exactly when the money will be available, look out for an announcement on the UK Government website or your local council’s website.

£10,000 or £25,000 grant for retail, hospitality and leisure

What is it?

This scheme is called the Retail and Hospitality Grant Scheme. It will offer a cash grant of either £10,000 or £25,000 per property to businesses in retail, hospitality and leisure.

Businesses with a rateable value of under £15,000 will get £10,000

Businesses with a rateable value of between £15,001 and £51,000 will get £25,000

Is your business eligible?

You’re eligible for this grant if your business:

is based in England, and
operates in the retail, hospitality and/or leisure sector

Similar schemes are available in Scotland and Wales – see below for details.

The Government stated that this Scheme is for businesses with properties entirely or mainly used:

as shops, restaurants, cafés, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues
as hotels, guest and boarding premises and self-catering accommodation
for assembly and leisure

Not sure if your business comes under one of these categories? There’s a full list of how the Government define them in this guidance document, pages 5 to 8.

How and when do you get the money?

You don’t need to do anything yet. Your local council will contact you if your business is eligible.

Eligible businesses will get the full £10,000 or £25,000

To find out exactly when the money will be available, look out for an announcement on the UK Government website or your local council’s website.

Can you get both grants?

No. The Government has confirmed that if your business property is eligible for the Small Business Grant Scheme, it won’t be eligible for the Retail and Hospitality Grant Scheme. You can only get one grant per property. (Source: Government guidance for local authorities, Grant Funding Schemes, PDF, page 6, point 26)

Are the Government coronavirus grants taxable?

Yes. The grants given by the Small Business Grant Scheme and the Retail and Hospitality Grant Scheme are ‘income’ and therefore taxable.
Source: Gov.uk | Guidance (PDF, page 7, point 36)

The grants given by the Self Employed Income Support Scheme are also taxable.

Grants for small businesses in Scotland

The aid available for small businesses in Scotland is similar to that available for businesses based in England but the eligibility criteria are slightly different.

The UK Government has published comprehensive information and guidance for people and businesses in Scotland.

Small and medium-sized businesses in Scotland can apply for a grant from the Creative, Tourism and Hospitality Enterprises Hardship Fund and the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund. Find out what’s available, if you might be eligible and what you need to submit at the FindBusinessSupport website:
Gov.scot | Guidance notes for applicants

Latest coronavirus updates from the Scottish Government

Grants for small businesses in Wales

The aid available for small businesses in Wales is similar to that available for businesses based in England but the eligibility criteria are slightly different.

For more information, read Coronavirus: support for businesses on the Welsh Government’s website.

The UK Government has published comprehensive information and guidance for people and businesses in Wales.

Grants for small businesses in Northern Ireland

The aid available for small businesses in Northern Ireland is similar to that available for businesses based in England but the eligibility criteria are slightly different.

Keep an eye on this page where the Government is publishing and updating the information: NI Business Info

Have your say

How is the coronavirus affecting you and your small business? We’re keen to hear from you – get in touch with us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

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Sources

Here are the pages we used to put together this information:

UK Government

Scottish Government

Welsh Government

Business and employers: coronavirus

Northern Ireland Executive

Photo by Florencia Viadana on Unsplash

Suzanne Worthington

Senior Writer