Page updated 18 January 2022
Additional Restrictions Grant Omicron Support
ADDITIONAL funding has been made available by the government to support businesses impacted by the Omicron COVID-19 variant and the associated Plan-B measures. Bury has received £338,093 out of a national £102m fund for Omicron support through the Additional Restrictions Grant Fund (ARG).
The Government guidance gives the Council discretion over the grant scheme, and its decisions regarding the scheme will be final. There is no appeal process for this grant scheme.
The fund is available until the end of the financial year 2021/2022 (31/03/2022), however, it is expected that the fund will be exhausted in advance of that date. Payments will be made on a first come, first served basis - it is imperative that you supply any necessary evidence in a timely manner.
Who should apply?
Businesses in eligible sectors OR taxi drivers who live and work in Bury. You must demonstrate that business has been severely impacted by the rise of the Omicron variant of COVID-19
If you are satisfied you have read and understood all the guidance on this page and that you meet eligibility criteria, you may proceed to launch application form
Eligibility and Guidance
Bury Council Eligibility Criteria
Those who complete an Expression of Interest may be invited to complete an application. This is the next step towards being awarded funding however, an invite is not acceptance of eligibility or a guarantee of funding.
A business/person is only deemed eligible if:
- the business/person is engaged in business activity or trading
- the business/person is part of an eligible sector (see below)
- the address stated in the application form is for the purpose of conducting business activity and is in the borough of Bury
- the business can demonstrate severe impact because of the rise of the Omicron variant of COVID-19
Exclusions
Businesses excluded are as set out in government guidance document which can be found by clicking this text. Page 7, points 31, 32 and 33 apply
You are also excluded if you are eligible for Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant support.
Eligible Sectors
Funding is limited. The Council must ensure that funding is used effectively to protect those most impacted by Omicron. We will support businesses in the following sectors:
- Hospitality, Leisure and Accommodation (HLA)
- HLA direct supply chain*
- Gyms and Sports**
- Personal Care***
- Taxi drivers who live and work in Bury
Definitions of businesses in Hospitality, Leisure and Accommodation are available here: Bury Council - Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grants - eligible business sectors
*You must be able to evidence that most of your income is directly from HLA clients.
**Your business cannot be part of a national chain.
***You must be the business rates payer or, be the liable party for rent of a whole space and not renting a chair/table within another business
Level of Support
All awards are a fixed, one-off payment
Payments reflect levels of support awarded through Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant where applicable. Bury Council reserves the right to exercise discretion and reduce the amounts as stated where required.
| Business Premises | Amount (GBP) |
|---|---|
| Domestic premises (up to) | £1,000 |
| Commercial premises rateable value: | |
| Less than £15,000 | £2,667 |
| £15,001-£50,999 | £4,000 |
| More than £51,000 | £6,000 |
Evidence Required
For the application to be considered, we require businesses to demonstrate that they meet the eligibility criteria.
As a minimum you will need to provide:
- Proof that your business has been financially impacted by the rise of the Omicron Variant.
- A recent bank statement for the bank account you wish to be paid into.
Other financial information such as accounts, sales records, records of cancelled appointments or balance sheets can be accepted in addition to a bank statement.
Bury Council reserves the right to ask for further information about your business, to ensure you are eligible.
Businesses that are applying for ARG funding will be required to make a statement that confirms their eligibility. The council places responsibility on the applicant to agree that their statement is correct to the best of their knowledge.
Business Growth Hub
#HereForBusiness - If you're concerned about the impact that COVID-19 might have on your business, we are here to help you navigate the latest government information and provide specialist advice. Business Growth Hub
Bury Council's Approach
The Council will assess and quantify the level of demand for funding from businesses.
The Council will reassess and make changes to the grant scheme, if necessary, based upon the Government Recovery Plan.
The Council reserves the right to vary the terms of the scheme at any time, and without notice, should it be necessary to do so.
There is not a guarantee that an application will result in funding awarded. Bury Council must work within the funding allocation.
Subsidy Control (formerly referred to as State Aid
Any award under the COVID-19 Temporary Framework must comply with the previous 'State Aid limits' on the amount of grant or relief that can be awarded to a company. Before making an application for the business grant scheme, please read the subsidy control page. It is your company's responsibility to check that it is eligible, and by the submission of an application you are declaring that if awarded payment that you will not exceed the relevant State Aid permitted thresholds. You may need to supply further evidence to demonstrate this and declare you understand and comply with the respective conditions.
If you have any doubt as to your position you must seek appropriate advice before applying as the responsibility lies with the business.
Additional Restrictions Grant Omicron Support timeline
Application form launched Tuesday 18 January 2022
Guidance published Tuesday 18 January 2022
Application closure: applications will close by 18 February 2022 or when the fund is fully spent, whichever is the sooner.
This is expected to be the final phase of applications as the fund expires by 31 March 2022
Process
- Application Submitted
- Further evidence. You will be asked for necessary evidence within 7 days of receipt of your completed application
- Application decision. You will be advised of the application outcome within 7 days of receipt of all requested evidence
- Funding award. If successful, your funding will be awarded to the account nominated in your application
- Subsidy control. You will be prompted to complete an exercise pertaining to Subsidy control
Please note that Bury Council subscribes to the Government Spotlight tool which undertakes due diligence checks to protect the public purse and quickly identify potential fraudulent applications. In addition, Bury Council also undertakes internal due diligence processes.
We have designed a scheme which is fully compliant with the guidance provided by National Government.
Other Information
Tax
The Additional Restrictions Grant fund will be subject to tax and the grant will need to be included as income in the tax return of the business.
Only businesses which make an overall profit, once grant income is included, will be subject to tax.
Payments after 6 April 2021 will fall into the 2021/22 tax year. Unincorporated businesses will be taxed when they receive the grant income.
Fraud and payments in error
The Government and Bury Council will not accept deliberate manipulation and fraud. Any business caught falsifying their records to gain additional grant money will face prosecution and any funding issued will be recovered, as may any grants paid in error.
The Council does not accept any liability for any issues that may arise for businesses because of applying for, receiving, or not receiving grant payments under this scheme.
Enquiries
If your enquiry is about the scheme generally, email investin@bury.gov.uk.
If you enquiry is about your application, email argrant@bury.gov.uk with your application reference and business name in the email subject.
We may not respond to any individual requests for updates within 3 weeks of an application being submitted. We will prioritise the processing of applications in all circumstances.
Please be aware that multiple enquiries prevent a quick turnaround of processed applications.
Please be patient when waiting for a response.
We will continue to keep the Additional Restrictions Grant under review. When changes occur to government guidance we will exercise our discretion to make changes accordingly. We will continue to lobby Government for wider business support.
Bury Council will keep this scheme under constant review. As changes to government guidance occur and as changes to Local COVID Alert Levels occur, we will use our discretion to make changes to this scheme accordingly.