The Government has set up a new website with all the details of the schemes that have been announced:

CORONAVIRUS BUSINESS SUPPORT 

Help includes a package of measures to support businesses including:

• Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme
• Business Rates Holiday for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure
• Cash Grant for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure
• Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
• Self Employment Income Support Scheme
• Small Business Grant
• Statutory Sick Pay Rebate
• Time to Pay
• Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility
• Business Rates Holiday for Nurseries
• VAT Deferral
• Income Tax Deferral for the Self-Employed
• FAQs

Local Business Support and Advice                                                                                            

• The Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership has advice and guidance on the support available to business on their website https://www.the-lep.com/business-support/covid-19-support-for-businesses/
• The York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership also have support and advice, including links to upcoming advice webinars on their website http://howsbusiness.org/coronavirus-covid-19
• Information is also available on the District Council’s website about existing business support programmes available to businesses in the Craven District, although there may be some alteration to their normal operating arrangements - https://www.cravendc.gov.uk/business/business-support-advice/

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What are we doing to process support?

Business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses

The Government will introduce a business rates retail holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England for the 2020 to 2021 tax year.

Businesses that received the retail discount in the 2019 to 2020 tax year will be rebilled by Craven District Council. 

We are starting to re-issue business rate bills for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses. We are hoping to have all the bills reissued by the end of next week and are prioritising those who have direct debits set up to go out at the beginning of April.

Support for businesses that pay little or no business rates due to small business rate relief or rural rate relief 

The government will provide additional funding for local authorities to support small businesses that already pay little or no business rates because of small business rate relief (SBBR). This will provide a one-off grant of £10,000 to businesses currently eligible for SBRR or rural rate relief, to help meet their ongoing business costs.

If your business is eligible for SBRR or rural rate relief, you will be contacted by Craven District Council – you do not need to apply.

Funding for the scheme will be provided to local authorities by government in early April. Guidance for local authorities on the scheme will be provided shortly.

We have set up an online service for you to send us us your business and bank details. This means we will be able to issue grants to eligible businesses quicker. If you are one of the affected businesses please complete the secure form below with your payment details. If you complete the online form, you do not need to return the paper copy you received in the post:

Business Grant funding payment details

Nurseries and Childcare providers

Guidance on Nursery (Childcare) Relief has now been published. This relief will apply to hereditaments which are occupied by providers listed on Ofsted’s Early Years Register and which are wholly or mainly used for the provision of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which are subject to business rates in the year 2020/21. There will be no rateable value limit on the relief.

Ofsted will ensure that all local authorities can access the Ofsted Early Years Register to help authorities identify eligible properties. This being the case, there is no need for businesses to contact us - we will identify the qualifying properties and award the relief as soon as possible.

Environmental Health

Our Environmental Health services are running. Officers are following government advice to restrict visits to essential visits only. Priority is still given to issues of safety and each call will be reviewed and assessed.