DDC releases phase two of new Grants Scheme to help small local businesses and charities

Phase two of a new Discretionary Grants Scheme will be released on Monday 13 July.

This new additional grant scheme is aimed at small businesses and charities that were not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund or Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Grant Fund.

Dover District Council maintains discretion concerning the awarding of this fund but will administer the scheme within the guidance issued by national Government.

Businesses that are likely to benefit from this scheme include:

• Small businesses in shared offices or flexible workspace, where the landlord is liable for the business rates. Examples include units in industrial parks, science parks and incubators which do not have their own business rates assessment.
• Regular market traders with fixed building costs, such as rent, who do not have their own business rates assessment
• Bed and Breakfasts which pay Council Tax instead of Business Rates
• Charity property in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.
• Businesses that pay business rates (or mooring fees) and have been unable to claim other Government grants because their rateable value is too high (up to £100k), they operate from two locations or they pay mooring fees instead of business rates. These businesses must be registered at Companies House at an address in Dover district and operate from a premises in Dover district.

In addition, eligible businesses must fall into all of the following categories:

• Businesses with ongoing fixed building-related costs
• Businesses which can demonstrate that they have suffered a significant fall in income due to the Covid-19 crisis
• Businesses with fewer than 50 employees
• Businesses that were trading on 11 March 2020
• Businesses which occupy property, or part of a property, with a rateable value, annual rent or annual mortgage payments over £15,000 and below £100,000.

The value of awards will depend on the number of valid applications and it is therefore possible that the grants will have to be capped at a modest level, if the scheme is heavily subscribed.

Trevor Bartlett, Leader of the Council, said: “Phase two of this additional grant scheme is aimed at small businesses and charities that were not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund or Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Grant Fund. We encourage businesses who are eligible to apply for this grant to get in touch to help them get through this difficult time”.

The scheme will be open to applications from mid-day 13 July until mid-day 27 July.   We will then assess all applications and make payments to the successful applicants by mid-August. For further information, visit our website at www.dover.gov.uk/discretionarygrants