Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed)

1.1: The purpose of this document is to determine eligibility for a payment under the Council's Local Restrictions Support Grant Scheme (Closed). It also includes details of changes to that scheme where a widespread national lockdown is declared (Local Resrtictions Support Grant Scheme (Closed Addendum).

1.2: The grant scheme has been developed by the Counciol in response to an announcement made by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy made on 9th September 2020 (and subsequently amended in October 2020 and November 2020) which sets out the circumstances whereby a grant payment may be made by the Council to a business which has to close due to localised or widespread national restrictions being put in place to manage coronavirus and save lives.

1.3: Whilst the awarding of grants with be the Council's responsibility, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has set down criteria which must be met by each business making an application., The Department has also indicated the types of business which should be given the grant.

1.4: The scheme applies where local restrictions are put in place or where a widespread national lockdown is announced.

1.5: Localised restrictions are legally binding restrictions imposed on specific Local Authority areas or multiple Local Authoruty areas, where the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care requires the closure of businesses in a local area under the regulations made using powers in Part 2A of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 in response to the threat posed by coronavirus and commonly as part of a wider set of measures.

1.6: National restrictions are nationally binding restrictions imposed by Parliment under legislation. The current national restrictions are made under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No.4) Regulations 2020.

1.7: Grants under this scheme will be available for the 2020/21 financial year only

1.8: No grant shall be paid for any period where the localised restrictions were in place prior to 9 September 2020. Where there is no local restriction, grants shall only be paid where there is a widespread national restriction.

1.9: Where any area enters either a localised restriction or where a widespread national restriction applies, additional assistance may be given to a business under the Council's Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) scheme.