Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) - updated 22 February 2021

An initial scheme relating to businesses affected by the second national lockdown concluded in December 2020 and we provided grants to over 50 local businesses.

Following the government's announcement on 4^th January 2021 that there would be another national lockdown the Council has received further funds from government to be paid out on a discretionary basis. These funds will be paid over to eligible businesses in the form of a Supplementary Winter Lockdown Grant    

In recognition of the significant impact of another national lockdown on businesses across Fenland the eligibility criteria have been simplified as far as possible to enable a range of businesses not entitled to the Local Restrictions Support Grant and the Closed Businesses Lockdown Payment to claim a grant. Where businesses do not qualify for the Local Restrictions Support Grant and the Closed Businesses Lockdown Payment they will be eligible for the Supplementary Winter Lockdown Grant if:

• the business received a grant from the Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme which the Council was administering between April 2020 and September 2020 (the amount received would have been £10,000 or £25,000); or
• the business would have received a grant from the Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme based on their business rates registration as at 5 January 2021, i.e. as at 5 January 2021 the business was in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief or the expanded retail discount; or
• the business received one or more discretionary business grants paid by the Council in relation to schemes in place between June and August 2020 and in November - December 2020 (various amounts paid based on the eligibility criteria in place); or
• the business can demonstrate with appropriate evidence fixed costs in excess of £15,000 per year and/or a significant drop in revenue, sales or income equivalent to 50% and an average monthly reduction of £3,000 for the nine months to 31 December 2020 compared to an equivalent trading period in the previous financial year.

All eligible businesses must confirm they are currently trading from an address in Fenland or intend to resume trading when permitted to do so.  Businesses with multiple properties which are registered for business rates can obtain a grant for each property providing no property has a rateable value in excess of £51,000.

Eligible businesses will each receive a grant of £1,200. If the government exercises its powers to extend the current national lockdown, a further £200 will be paid for each week the lockdown is extended up to a maximum additional grant of  £800, i.e a total grant of £2,000.

Update 24 February 2021: The Council has decided to follow the same approach as that adopted by government for the Local Restrictions Support Grant. All businesses entitled to receive the supplementary winter lockdown grant will receive a total of £2,457. For businesses whose applications were approved for payment prior to 23 February this will comprise an initial payment of £1,200 followed by a top-up payment of £1,257. All applications approved after this date will receive a single payment of £2,457.

Apply for a grant

Apply for a Supplementary Winter Lockdown Grant

Queries relating to the grants available should be sent to discretionarybusinessgrants@fenland.gov.uk