Omicron Additional Restrictions Grant
Applications for Omicron Additional Restrictions Grant have now closed. The information provided below is for reference only.
We have been allocated additional government funding to help other businesses which have been impacted Plan B and Omicron and are outside the scope of support which the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant provides. This is called the Omicron Additional Restrictions Grant, for which we have received £545,824 for awarding by 31 March.
The scheme has been extended and will now close for applications on 28 February 2022 at 23:59hrs and all final payments to eligible businesses will be made by 31 March 2022.
For full details on eligibility and to apply, please visit our Omicron Additional Restrictions Grant page.
Additional Restrictions Grant
The government recognises that some businesses that required to close because of COVID-19 do not directly pay business rates and therefore won’t be covered by the Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) scheme and that others will not have been forced to close but will be significantly financially impacted.
Local authorities have therefore each been allocated an Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG), which will cover businesses not covered by LRSG. Funding can cover one or more of the following areas:
- direct grants to business
- business support e.g. advice and guidance for businesses, and skills training to support their ability to trade in changed circumstances.
A total of £10.1m of ARG has been given to the Council to cover the period up until March 2022. This is a single lump sum and the Council will receive no further amount.
In order to accommodate future lockdown measures, the Additional Restrictions Grant will be distributed in phases. Please see below details on the different phases (criteria may change at the time of launch).
***Update on 12 January 2022***
If you think you may have missed out on applying for the previous Additional Restrictions Grant phases*, please check your eligibility below and contact us. When contacting us please let us know which phase you think you're eligible for and why. Please also include your full details including: business address, trading address, confirm whether you are a rate-payer and if you were required to be open or closed during the previous restriction periods.
*Please note this excludes Large Grant Scheme & Community Wealth Building Pledge grant. Please note applications to the Community Wealth Building Pledge itself remains unchanged.
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Phase 1
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*Grant application now closed It supported any non-essential businesses which was trading before 1 April 2021, which did not directly pay business rates and were affected by the early closing restrictions of 17 October-4 November, the national lockdown 5 November-2 December 2020, Tier 4 restrictions 20 December 2020-4 January 2021 and the national lockdown 5 January-12 April 2021. Commercial businesses – closed 30 September |
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Phase 2 |
*Grant application now closed It supported suppliers to businesses which were required to close and/or which had reduced trade during 5 November-2 December 2020 lockdown; Tier 4 restrictions 20 December 2020-4 January 2021; national lockdown 5 January-12 April 2021. Priority was given to businesses which were able to demonstrate that more than 50% of their trade involved supplying other businesses. Commercial businesses – closed 30 September |
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Phase 3 |
Businesses which may be forced to close during future lockdowns and which are eligible to apply for grants in Phase 1 and Phase 2. |
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Phase 4 |
*Grant application now closed Large Grant Scheme - closed 17 October ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Grant application now closed Open and Excluded commercial businesses – closed 30 September ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Home-based businesses & Taxi/Courier Drivers – closed 30 September ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Community Wealth Building Pledge grant ***The grant element for this scheme has now closed (28 February 2022 at 23:59hrs)*** Any applications received after this time may not be considered for grant, but can only be assessed for CWB Pledge accreditation. Community Wealth Building Pledge grant is designed to support businesses, organisations and charities recover and re-orientate following the Covid-19 pandemic. These grants are specifically available to help businesses, organisations and charities advance Newham’s Community Wealth Building and Covid Recovery approach. |
COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund
On 16 December 2021 the Government announced a new COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) of £1.5 billion. The fund will be available to support those businesses affected by the pandemic but that are ineligible for existing support linked to business rates.
We are currently designing this scheme and more information regarding eligibility and applications will follow shortly.
Hospitality Support Grant – Applications are now closed for this grant. Below is for reference only
On 21 December 2021 the Chancellor announced a £1billion fund to support businesses in the hospitality sector as the UK tackles rising cases of the Omicron variant.
The scheme will close for applications on 18 March and all final payments must be made and dispersed to recipients by 31 March.
Businesses must have been trading from 30 December 2021 to be eligible to receive funding under this scheme. The Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme is for businesses on the Valuation Office Agency ratings list only.
For full details on eligibility and to apply.