The Government has allocated £4.05million of COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) to West Suffolk Council. This is to be used as business rates relief for businesses who have been affected by COVID-19 but have not so far been eligible for any of the other business rates relief given to retail, hospitality, leisure and childcare nurseries.
From today we are inviting West Suffolk businesses outside of retail, hospitality, leisure and childcare nurseries, who have been impacted by COVID-19 and who meet the eligibility criteria to apply for CARF. The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on 15 March
How much rate relief will businesses get?
Before we make any decisions and set amounts for business sectors, we want to hear from them about what the impact has been. We also need to understand what the volume of businesses in need of support looks like. For that reason, we are inviting businesses to apply first, presenting their evidence and after this we will award the funding.
Who is eligible for CARF?
In order to be eligible for the CARF rates relief, businesses:
- must not have received Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief or Nursery Discount in 2021-22
- must have been in the rating list and “occupied” for a period of time between 1 April 2021 and the date of making an application for the relief. The exception to this is that the business did not need to be physically occupying the property when it was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions
- must have had a business rates liability for the financial year 2021-22. Where a business’ rates bill was zero, such as if a business received the full Small Business Rate Relief, they will be ineligible for CARF
- must have been adversely affected by the pandemic and have been unable to adequately adapt to that impact
Businesses are not eligible:
- if during 2021-22 they were eligible for the Extended Retail Discount (covering Retail, Hospitality and Leisure), the Nursery Discount or full Small Business Rates Relief
- if they were in liquidation, dissolved, in administration, insolvent or subject to, or under notice of, a striking-off notice on 1 February 2022
- if they are a local authority, or other precepting authority (for example, a parish or county council) or a functional body, within the meaning of the Greater London Authority Act 1999
- if by receiving a relief under CARF, they will exceed subsidy thresholds.
- if their rateable value is solely for telephone masts, car park spaces or advertising rights
Full details of the scheme are available on our website at https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support/covid-19-additional-relief-fund.cfm
The deadline for applications is 11.59pm on 15 March
The CARF scheme will be administered by Anglia Revenues Partnership on behalf of West Suffolk Council.