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Grant Opportunity for Small Business and Charities - apply without delay

On 1 June 2020, the Castle Point Borough Council will open a 10-day application window for local businesses and charities to apply for a new Local Discretionary Grant Fund Scheme.

The Discretionary Grant Fund is aimed at providing financial support to businesses and charities who have suffered loss of income due to Covid-19 and have high property related costs, but who were not eligible for any of the previous Covid-19 related business rates support or grant schemes.

Priority consideration will be given to applications from;

  • ‘small’ and ‘micro’ businesses/charities - including those in shared or flexible workspaces without their own business rates assessment, such as those in units in industrial parks and business centres,
  • regular market traders with fixed building costs,
  • small charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief,
  • bed and breakfasts eligible to pay council tax rather than business rates,
  • and other small businesses with fewer than 50 employees, who are deemed important to the local economy (e.g. businesses operating in the supply chain and whose operations have been curtailed by the closure of the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors).

Councillor Jeffrey Stanley Deputy Leader of the Council, Cabinet Member for Special Projects said ‘Castle Point Council is keen to encourage and support our local economy and employment particularly those local businesses and charities which have been unable to get support from other Covid 19 support schemes.

Please do not delay, visit our website and check out whether your business or organisation is eligible for this support. We want to see business and employment survive and thrive.’

Further details of the eligibility criteria and how to apply on-line are available at www.castlepoint.gov.uk/business-rates.

Applicants will be required to upload supporting documentation when they apply, and applications must be submitted by no later than 10th June 2020.

Once all Applications have been received the Local Authority will consider eligibility and determine the level of grant to be awarded, with awards to be paid before the end of June 2020.