Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund - England

The Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund was announced by the UK Government on 1 May 2020.  It applies to England only. Most LAs have launched the fund, however some LAs have indicated that the scheme will be available on 1 June 2020.

This additional grant funding is aimed at small businesses who were not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) or the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Fund (RLHF). Local Authorities (LAs) in England will be responsible for delivering the grants to eligible businesses.

The value of the grant is at the discretion of LAs but grants are capped at £25,000.  The value of the grants may be £25,000, £10,000 or any amount under £10,000.  The grant income will be taxable.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Aimed at small and micro businesses who were trading on 11 March 2020.

  • LAs will prioritise certain businesses (see below), but are allowed to use their own knowledge of their local economy to award grants.

  • Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces such as units in industrial parks, science parks and incubators who do not have their own rates assessment.

  • Regular market traders with fixed building costs, such as rent, who do not have their own business rates assessment.

  • Bed & Breakfasts which pay council tax instead of business rates

  • Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief.

Businesses who have received cash grants under other central government COVID-related schemes such as (but not limited to) the Small Business Grant Fund and the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Fund are not eligible for this additional grant funding.  Although businesses who have applied for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), are eligible to apply for the scheme.

Apply online through individual Local Authority websites.