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<p>Businesses in England that would have been in receipt of the Expanded Retail Discount
(which covers retail, hospitality and leisure) on 11 March with a rateable value of
less than £51,000 will be eligible for the following cash grants per property via
the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF). The Expanded Retail Discount
scheme is targeted at properties that are wholly or mainly being used:</p><ul><li>as
shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues;</li></ul><ul><li>for
assembly and leisure; or</li><li>as hotels, guest & boarding premises and self-catering
accommodation.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Guidance on the Expanded Retail Discount was published
on 25 March 2020. Local authorities are responsible for implementing the discount
in line with the guidance.</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-retail-discount-guidance"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-retail-discount-guidance</a></p><p>
</p><p>Officials are keeping in close contact with local authorities to monitor the
progress of the grant scheme and regarding the operation of the business rates system.
Any enquiries on eligibility for, or provision of, the RHLGF should be directed to
the relevant local authority.</p><p> </p><p>On 1 May, the Government announced that
up to £617 million has been made available to local authorities in England to allow
them to provide discretionary grants to support businesses based on local economic
priorities and not directly tied to the business rate system. Clearly, this funding
is under pressure and local authorities are to individually decide which businesses
to support, within the eligibility criteria set by Government: <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fcoronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-business-support-grant-funding&data=02%7C01%7CHazel.Rimmer%40communities.gov.uk%7C036b8e434b4b4987162608d821c8e1f6%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637296493947882517&sdata=k4an7yGNKg4Avz9xwuxeS959DPtuHlaKj%2FXL190Y6nA%3D&reserved=0"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-business-support-grant-funding</a></p><p>
</p><p>ELT businesses and individuals within this sector continue to have access to
a range of additional support measures including, but not limited to:</p><ul><li>Small
business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate
relief or rural rate relief</li><li>The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme</li><li>The
Bounce Back Loan Scheme for small and micro enterprises</li><li>VAT deferral for up
to 12 months</li><li>The Time To Pay scheme, through which businesses and self-employed
individuals in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, can receive
support with their tax affairs</li><li>Protection for commercial leaseholders against
automatic forfeiture for non-payment until June 30, 2020 – with the option for the
Government to extend if needed.</li></ul><p> </p><p>The Business Support website provides
further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made
available, who is eligible, and how to apply - <a href="https://gbr01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fbusiness-coronavirus-support-finder&data=02%7C01%7CLocalEconomiesContingencyTeam%40communities.gov.uk%7C1f87c98638a14adad3aa08d81c35a687%7Cbf3468109c7d43dea87224a2ef3995a8%7C0%7C0%7C637290364037909306&sdata=IujgYU%2FDklMimkgdiQH%2B%2BJeUU%2BSeB%2FUAzzYiQViqHC0%3D&reserved=0"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder</a>.</p>
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