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<p>The Small Business Grants Fund and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Fund
have been designed to support the smallest businesses, and smaller businesses in some
of the sectors which have been hit hardest by measures taken to prevent the spread
of COVID-19. The two schemes have been tied to the business rates system and rating
assessments, which together provide a framework for Local Authorities to make payments
as quickly as possible. Businesses in the business rates system are also likely to
face particularly high fixed costs, such as fixed rents.</p><p> </p><p>In some shared
spaces, individual users have their own rating assessments and may therefore be eligible
for the grants schemes. In these cases, Local Authorities are urging landlords and
management agents to support them in ensuring that the grants reach the correct ratepayers.</p><p>
</p><p>Businesses operating in shared spaces which do not have their own ratings assessment
are not eligible for the grants schemes. Extending eligibility to these businesses
would not be practicable as it would require Local Authorities to create an entirely
new system and to put in place appropriate anti-fraud checks. This would significantly
increase Local Authorities’ workloads at a time when they are already working under
pressure to support struggling businesses as quickly as possible.</p><p><strong> </strong></p>
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