The Restart Grant is a one-off payment to support businesses in England in re-opening safely following lockdown. The scheme is very relevant to our industry, with a tier aimed specifically at ‘non-essential’ retail. If you haven’t yet applied, we would encourage you to do so.
Eligibility depends on your business being rate-paying, trading on 1st April 2021 and based in England, and award of the grant depends on the level of support your business has already received. More detailed information can be viewed at www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-youre-eligible-for-a-coronavirus-restart-grant.
We’ve spoken to a few MIA members who have already applied, and new member David Wood (Promenade Music) has kindly supplied a bullet list of the information he had to submit to his local authority. Having this to hand should make your application as quick and easy as possible, though you may not need all of it.
Applications are handled by your local council so there are regional variations as to the information required. You can find instructions at their website.
- Your business rates account number
- General business information like address etc.
- The date your stores closed
- A print-off of your wages list (if more than 10 employees).
- VAT registration number (if applicable)
- Company number (if applicable)
- The billing authority property reference number
- Your most recent bank statement which clearly shows the business address, sort code and account number
