Business and investment

A new national lockdown is now in force across England.

The gov.uk website has the detail on what this means for your business.

The government's website also has advice on grants, funding, help for self-employed workers or sole traders, and how to run your business safely if it is permitted to open.

The North Yorkshire County Council website has advice and guidance on how to prevent a Covid-19 outbreak in your workplace.

We know that this is a difficult time for many businesses in the district. We are working hard to pay grants to eligible businesses as soon as possible.

Your business must be based in the Harrogate district to be eligible for a payment from any of the grant schemes. Some businesses may also be eligible for support from more than one of the schemes.

If you received a business grant from us relating to the second national lockdown in force from 5 November to 1 December 2020, you do not need to apply again for a grant relating to the current lockdown which started on 5 January.

We have started getting in touch with eligible businesses that received a LRSG Closed Addendum or Additional Restrictions Grant for the November lockdown about payments relating to the current lockdown. Over £11 million of January lockdown grants has already been paid.

National lockdown and further grant funding: 16 February onwards

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed Addendum): The government has confirmed eligible businesses under this scheme are to receive grant funding for the 44 days from 16 February to 31 March 2021.

Those businesses that have previously been awarded this grant, for the November and/or January lockdowns, will receive an email from the council about their latest grant by 26 February.

The second payment cycle covers 16 February to 31 March 2021. Eligible businesses will receive a grant award based on the rateable value of their business premises, as the following:

• a rateable value of £15,000 or less = grant of £2,096
• a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 = grant of £3,143
• a rateable value of £51,000 or above = £4,714

Details of the LRSG (Closed Addendum) grant are available to view on the government website

Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) phase three:

ARG phase three will cover the two phases of the current lockdown period:

• 5 January to 15 February
• 16 February to 31 March 2021, only

Our ARG scheme will open for phase three applications on this web page by 19 March, and close at 11.59pm on 1 April 2021.

Those businesses that have been awarded an ARG payment for the November and/or January lockdowns will receive an email from the council about their ARG third phase payment by 12 March.

Information on grant payments after March 2021 will be updated on this web page when the government announces further details.

Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG)

If your businesses are not responsible for business rates or eligible to apply for the Local Restrictions Support Grants it may be entitled to the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).

The ARG covers the national lockdowns and the Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions in place from 5 November 2020 to 31 March 2021.

If you have already received an ARG grant we will email you about how to receive a grant under phase two. There is no need to re-apply.

The ARG phase two scheme will close for applications at 11.59pm on 5 March 2021. Phase two covers:

• the lockdown period from 5 November to 1 December 2020
• Tier 2 and 3 restrictions from 2 December to 4 January 2021, and
• the period of the lockdown from 5 January to 15 February 2021

The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme phase two 2020-2022 provides full details and eligibility criteria. Please read the scheme and check the eligibility criteria before submitting an application.

Applications for ARG phase two will close at 11.59pm on 5 March 2021.

Apply for phase two Additional Restrictions Grant

Not yet applied for the November 2020 lockdown?

If your business was legally required to close and is responsible for paying business rates (even if your bill shows 100% relief) it may be entitled to the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed Addendum). The gov.uk website has details of the grant funding available

If your business has not applied for the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed Addendum) for the second national lockdown (4 November to 1 December), please complete and submit this application form. This will register your business for the future lockdown grants.

Read the eligibility criteria - Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed Addendum) on the government website.

Apply for Nov and Jan lockdown Local Restriction Support Grant (Closed Addendum)

Apply for Jan lockdown only Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed Addendum)

Grant support for the November 2020 lockdown, Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions

Grant support is also available for eligible businesses impacted by the following coronavirus lockdown and restrictions:

• the national lockdown from 5 November to 1 December 2020. Please see the notes above on the LRSG Closed Addendum and Additional Restrictions Grant
• the Tier 2 restrictions from 2 December to 30 December 2020
• the Tier 3 restrictions from 31 December 2020 to 4 January 2021

Your business must be based in the Harrogate district to be eligible for a payment from any of the grant schemes. Some businesses may also be eligible for support from more than one of the schemes.

Please ensure you read the grant schemes in detail before applying to check which grant applies to your business. Make sure you provide all the required information with your application. This will help us pay approved grants as soon as possible.

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open)

Grants of up to £1,500 are available depending on the rateable value of your business premises.

Your business may be eligible if it:

• occupied property on which it was liable for business rates (even if your bill shows 100% relief) and is the ratepayer
• was not required to close but has been severely impacted by the Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions

Read the eligibility criteria - Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open) on the government website.

Apply for a Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open)

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed)

Grants of up to £1,500 are available depending on the rateable value of your business premises.

Your business may be eligible if:

• it occupies property on which it is liable for business rates (even if your bill shows 100% relief) and is the ratepayer
• it is required to close for at least 14 consecutive days because of the Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions.
• it is unable to provide its usual in-person customer service from its premises

Read the eligibility criteria - Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) on the government website.

Apply for a Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed)

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Sectors)

This covers the period of the Tier 2 restrictions from 2 December to 30 December 2020 and the Tier 3 restrictions that were in force from 31 December 2020 to 4 January 2021. Grants of up to £1,500 are available depending on the rateable value of your business premises.

Your business may be eligible if:

• it is a nightclub, dance hall, discotheque, adult entertainment venue or hostess bar

Read the eligibility criteria - Local Restrictions Support Grant (Sectors) on the government website.

Please email [email protected] with the address of the business premises, a contact name and telephone number.

Christmas grant for 'wet-led' pubs

This covers the period of the Tier 2 restrictions between 2 December and 30 December 2020. Grants of up to £1,000 are available.

Your business may be eligible if:

• it is a pub that predominately serves alcohol rather than food and cannot provide a substantial meal

Read the eligibility criteria - Christmas grant for 'wet-led' pubs on the government website.

Apply for a Christmas grant for 'wet-led' pubs

Applications for this scheme have been extended and will close at 11.59pm on 28 February.

The UK has left the European Union.

A trade deal with the EU was announced at the end of 2020.

The government's website has full details on what this means for your business.

For details on how your business can benefit from free support services please visit our web pages and contact us at [email protected]. Please keep updated by following us on Twitter and subscribe to our free e-newsletter.

We've put together a business toolkit to provide you with practical safety advice, guidance and supporting materials to help your business operate safely while the Covid-19 pandemic continues.

Business toolkit

For updates on other support and advice in the Harrogate district, please consider subscribing to our business newsletter.