The Discretionary Grant Fund supports certain small and micro businesses, that are not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund.
Over £1.2 million of grants have been paid to Waltham Forest businesses but now the Government has directed councils to close their Discretionary Grant schemes to new applications on 28 August.
Businesses wishing to apply for a Discretionary Grant are strongly advised to submit their application well in advance of this deadline.
Applications from nurseries and businesses without commercial property costs are now being accepted, adding to the categories of grants already available:
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NEW: Businesses without commercial property costs;
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NEW: Ofsted registered private and voluntary nurseries;
- Suppliers to the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors;
- Larger hospitality and leisure sector businesses
- Businesses using shared workspaces;
- Council licensed, permanent and casual market traders;
- Charities and Community Interest Companies;
- Community cafes based in borough parks; and
- Bed and breakfasts paying council tax.
To be awarded a grant, applicants must have:
- Significant, fixed and unavoidable costs;
- Suffered a loss of income due to Covid-19;
- Have been trading on 11 March 2020; and
- Be classified as a small or micro business.
There are also specific eligibility criteria given to each grant category.
Businesses that work from home, are mobile or otherwise do not rent/own commercial property are now able to apply for a Discretionary Grant.
In order to comply with the Government’s guidance, applicants must be able to demonstrate other unavoidable, significant, fixed costs. This could include storage, asset finance, vehicle leasing, or contracted services costs.
A grant of £2,500 is available to those who qualify.
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A grant of up to £25,000 is available to Ofsted registered private or voluntary nurseries, providing Childcare on non-domestic properties, to children under the age of 5 years.
Grant values are based on the rateable value of the nursery premises or, if the nursery is not liable for rates, the number of placements.
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There are a significant number of small suppliers who have been affected by the closure of High Streets and grants of up to £25,000 are available to these businesses.
Applicants must rely on sales of goods or services to other businesses in the retail, hospitality or leisure sectors and have commercial premises with a rateable value greater than £15,000 and lower than £100,000.
For the avoidance of doubt, these grants are not available to businesses that predominantly sell directly to consumers.
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A grant of £25,000 is available to businesses who are wholly or predominantly in the hospitality or leisure sectors required to close by the Government on 23 March.
The business must have premises with a rateable value between £51,000 and £100,000 and have no more than 5 outlets.
For the avoidance of doubt, these grants are not available to the retail sector.
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If you use a commercial space where an all-inclusive rent, license or similar fee is paid and the business does not have a direct business rates liability, a grant of up to £7,500 could be available.
Such spaces include: co-working offices; maker spaces; business incubators; artist studios and other flexible workspaces.
Offices or workspaces within domestic dwellings (e.g. home offices); self-storage units; virtual offices and post boxes; and short-term hall/venue hire are not eligible, but they should consider an application as a businesses without commercial property costs (details above).
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Grants of up to £4,700 are available to permanent traders, or casual traders that have a track record of trading in Waltham Forest.
Applicants must be directly licensed by the Council’s Street Trading Team and those trading from third party markets, either licensed by the Council or managed privately, are not eligible for a grant, but they should consider an application as a businesses without commercial property costs (details above).
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Charities in receipt of Mandatory (Charitable) Rate Relief and registered Community Interest Companies are able to apply for grants of up to £25,000.
Applicants must occupy a commercial property with a rateable value below £100,000.
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To be eligible the applicant must have a lease or license with the Council to operate a café from a Council park.
A grant of £5,000 is available for those cafes that qualify.
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To be eligible the B&B must be registered for Council tax, not business rates, and must be wholly or mainly used as guest or boarding premises, providing at least one meal per day. A grant of £5,000 is available.
Spare room, short-term lets, Houses of Multiple Occupation and ‘Air BnB’ style accommodation do not qualify for a grant.
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We will continue to update you as new information is available. We know that this is a fast-moving situation, but we are confident staff will continue to provide support and guidance to local businesses in Waltham Forest.
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