New Micro Businesses Grant available for small businesses in the Rochdale borough

Rochdale Borough Council has launched a new Micro Business Grant to help businesses which have not been eligible for most of the previous Covid-19 support schemes.

The new grant is aimed at businesses and the self-employed which need help meeting their fixed costs, but have been unable to claim under most other schemes because they do not have separate business premises. This includes home based or mobile businesses and businesses which rent a space, chair or 'pitch' within another business premises.

Eligible businesses will be able to claim one off payments of up to a maximum of £4,000, depending on their fixed costs, however, this grant can’t be used to cover losses of personal income or to pay wages.

Applicants must be based in Rochdale borough and have been trading on or before 4 November 2020. They must be able to demonstrate that they have ongoing business costs, such as insurance, utilities which are separate to domestic costs, and software licenses or equipment rental. They also need to show that their business has been severely impacted by the pandemic.

The new Micro Businesses Grant is being offered in addition to the three different grants already available to businesses who were forced to close from 31 December 2020. These grants are awarded depending on whether a business as a specific rateable value or not.

Businesses that have been forced to close from 31 December which have received one of the following grants should receive a grant payment automatically with no need to apply again:

• National lockdown grant (for the period 5 November 2020 to 2 December 2020)
• Tier 3 Localised Restrictions Support Grant (for the period 2 December 2020 to 30 December 2020)
• Tier 4 Local Restrictions Support Grant (for the period 31 December 2020 to 13 January 2021)

If your business has been forced to close because of the borough being placed in Tier 4 and haven't received any of the grants listed above then applications can still be made - visit the council web site for details:rochdale.gov.uk/BusinessGrants
 

Read more: Council leader urges businesses not to miss out on vital cash supportPublished: 10 December 2020

Cllr Carol Wardle, cabinet member for corporate delivery at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Some of the eligibility of the covid grants is set by government but in this case we’ve been allowed to widen the criteria slightly. We know that the pandemic has hit businesses and self-employed people hard, particularly those who have been shut out of many of the previous grant schemes available. That’s why we wanted to try and give them an extra helping hand.

“I’m proud of the way our officers across the council and RDA have supported the payment of the covid business grants schemes. There are a number of different schemes running now and they all have varying and complex rules governing their rollout. It’s been all hands on deck from our team since last March and in most cases, once the business has submitted all the information we’ve asked for, the money has been paid into their bank account within three working days.

"I would advise businesses to look carefully at all the schemes listed on our website and apply for anything which they’re eligible for. The most important thing with this new grant, as with the others, is for applicants to supply all the information we’ve requested, because failing to do will lead to delays in us getting the much needed cash out to them.”

Rochdale Council has provided £79m worth of covid support grants and businesses rates relief since the pandemic began.

Information about the new micro business grant and how to apply, as well as details of all previous grant schemes which are still open for applications, can be found at:

• rochdale.gov.uk/BusinessGrants