Restart Grants to help the high street

Restart Grants to support businesses in reopening safely as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted will be available from 1 April 2021. Applications can be submitted in advance.

Eligible businesses in the non-essential retail sector may be entitled to a one-off cash grant of up to £6,000 from their local council.

Eligible businesses in the hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym sectors may be entitled to a one-off cash grant of up to £18,000 from their local council.

See our separate article on the 4 steps to lockdown ending in June.

The Restart grants are on top of grants previously announced before the Budget, as well as a new Recovery Loan scheme replacing CBILS and Bounce Back loans which end on 31 March 2021.

However, the Restart grants will replace the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) and Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open), both of which will now end on 31 March.

Eligibility

Your business may be eligible if it is:

• based in England
• rate-paying
• in the non-essential retail, hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care or gym sectors
• trading on 1 April 2021

Businesses excluded from the fund

You cannot get funding if your business:

• is in administration, insolvent or has been struck off the Companies House register
• has exceeded the permitted subsidy allowance

Subsidy allowance

This scheme is covered by 3 subsidy allowances:

• Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance – you’re allowed up to £335,000 (subject to exchange rates) over any period of 3 years
• COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance – you’re allowed up to £1,600,000
• COVID-19 Business Grant Special Allowance - if you have reached your limits under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance and COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance, you may be able to access a further allowance of funding under these scheme rules of up to £9,000,000, provided certain conditions are met

Grants under these 3 allowances can be combined for a potential total allowance of up to £10,935,000 (subject to exchange rates).

What you get

Local councils will use their discretion to determine whether businesses meet the eligibility criteria for this grant scheme.

Eligible businesses will be paid:

• a one-off grant of up to £6,000 in the non-essential retail sector
• a one-off grant of up to £18,000 in the hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym sectors

Grants will be available from 1 April 2021 but you can submit an application in advance.

How to apply

Visit your local council’s website to find out how to apply:

Find the website for your local council.

Other government measures already in place to support businesses and workers during the coronavirus emergency can be found in our Business after COVID-19: Transition Knowledge Hub.