Businesses in the Dorset Council area affected by the current COVID-19 restrictions can now apply for the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).
Businesses in the Dorset Council area affected by the current COVID-19 lockdown restrictions can now apply for the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).
Those required to close under the imposed coronavirus restrictions that do not have a liability to pay business rates may be eligible for this latest financial support. The ARG also supports businesses that do not have to close but which are significantly impacted.
It is a discretionary grant administered by Dorset Council on behalf of the Government. Eligible businesses will be paid a fixed amount to cover a 4-week period to cover the restrictions in place from 5 November to 2 December 2020.
Payments are based on the number people employed by the business:
- 0 – 9 employees = £934
- 10 – 49 employees = £1,400
- 50 – 249 employees = £2,100
- More than 250 employees will be considered by exception and on individual merit.
To be eligible, businesses must be in the Dorset Council area and must be able to meet the following requirements:
- have been open before the November national restrictions and
- were required to close due to national restrictions that came into force on 5 November 2020; and
- do not have a liability to pay business rates
A business may be eligible if it has remained open during the national restrictions, but has been significantly impacted and suffered a severe loss of income directly as a result of the national restrictions. (Severe loss is defined as 50%+ compared to usual or forecasted income for this time of year).
The Additional Restrictions Grant supports businesses that are not covered by other grant schemes, such as the Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG), or where additional funding is needed
The LRSG, which launched earlier in November, is being made available to businesses that pay business rates on their premises and that are required to close under the current imposed coronavirus restrictions.
Councillor Gary Suttle, Portfolio Holder for Finance, Commercial and Capital Strategy, said: “This second lockdown is putting extra pressure on many businesses already in a fragile position because of the challenges caused by COVID-19.
“The council is committed to ensuring financial support reaches them as quickly as possible, and our employees are working flat out to make sure this happens.
“The ARG supports businesses not covered by other grant schemes, so we encourage all businesses affected by the current lockdown to check their eligibility and apply for the funding to which they are entitled.”
This is phase 1 of Dorset Council’s delivery of the Additional Restrictions Grant. Future phases will be determined according to national and local conditions affecting businesses within the Dorset Council area at that time.
Further phases are likely to focus on sustaining larger employers, supporting Dorset’s key economic sectors, and potentially additional business support if national or local restrictions continue or are reintroduced. See more about the grant and how to apply at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/additional-restrictions-grant.
