Rutland County Council has extended the application window for businesses seeking to access COVID-19 funding through the government's Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund.

The application process for the Discretionary Grant Fund was due to close on Friday 19 June but has since been extended and will now run for an additional two weeks, allowing businesses more time to submit and complete their applications.

The Fund aims to provide financial support for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Qualifying businesses also need to demonstrate they have significant fixed property costs, have experienced a significant drop in income due to COVID-19 restriction measures and have not previously received any form of business grant from the Council. The maximum grant amount available is £10,000.

Rutland County Council is following government guidance and prioritising the following types of businesses for a discretionary grant:

1. Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces. Examples include units in premises which do not have their own business rates assessment;

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

1. 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 Rate

Other businesses which fall outside of these categories can apply but will only be assessed if there is enough funding available. Rutland County Council's Discretionary Grant Fund scheme is not available to home-based businesses.

Businesses now have until 5pm on Friday 3 July 2020 to submit an application and must provide the right supporting information in sufficient detail for their application to be processed.

Businesses are also asked to read the Council's Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund Policy online before applying.

The extension to the application window will not delay payments for eligible businesses that completed and submitted their claims within the original timeframe.

For more information about COVID-19 funding for local businesses or to apply for a grant, please visit: www.rutland.gov.uk/covidbusiness.