Business rates
Local Restrictions-Business Support Grants
The Government has implemented a four-week national lockdown, from 5 November to 2 December 2020, which means that the following types of businesses and venues will need to close or restrict how they provide goods and services:
- non-essential retail
- hospitality venues
- accommodation
- leisure and sports facilities
- entertainment venues
- personal care facilities
Read the government’s guidance on new national restrictions for businesses and venues for more information.
Northampton Borough Council will be distributing government-funded grants to businesses required to close during the national lockdown period.
Local Restrictions Support Grants
This is for businesses who receive a rates bill from the Council and are required to close during the current lockdown restrictions. A single grant to cover the four-week period will be paid to each eligible business. Businesses with more than one qualifying property will receive more than one grant.
The rate of payment for eligible businesses will be:
- For properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or under, grants will be £1,334 for the four weeks
- For properties with a rateable value of more than £15,000 and below £51,000, grants will be £2,000 for the four weeks
- For properties with a rateable value of £51,000 or over, grants will be £3,000 for the four week
To Apply for a Local Support Grant, or fund out about any further funding available to businesses you can visit our grants & advice page
Potential Fraud
Please note HMRC will not be emailing businesses asking for further information or inviting you to ‘Claim Now’ to apply for these grants. Applications are made via your Local Authority, not HMRC. If you receive such an email please report to report@phishing.gov.uk as it could be fraudulent.
Previous Budget Announcement
The government has published guidance on the COVID-19 support for businesses.
These pages are regularly updated and contains full guidance on the operation of:
- a 12 month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality, leisure and nursery businesses in England. If you have not already received a revised bill and believe you are entitled to the relief in accordance with the Governments’ guidance you can download an application form.
In accordance with Government guidance the Small Business grant and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure grant schemes closed on 28 August 2020 and we are no longer able to accept new applications for this funding .
Following the Government’s instructions please do not attend the One Stop Shop at the Guildhall for Council Tax, Benefits or Business Rates matters.
If you have any queries on this or otherwise need to contact us please do so by e-mail at businessrates@northampton.gov.uk or by using one of the online forms. We will respond as soon as we are able.