November 13, 2020 5.03 pm This story is over 40 months old

How to claim your business closure grant in Lincoln

Grants between £250 to £3k 
| Photo: Adobe Stock

Several businesses in Lincoln will be eligible for a grant of up to £3,000 after the city council was awarded £4.1 million to help support local firms unable to open or severely impacted by the current 28-day lockdown.

Businesses that were required to close due to the current 28-lockdown, which is due to continue until at least December 2, will be able to apply for a grant of between £250 and £3,000 from Monday, November 16.

Restaurants/cafes that closed, but retained a takeaway service, or shops that shut and kept a click and collect facility, will still be eligible for the grant, as will businesses such as nightclubs and sexual entertainment venues.

Eligible businesses, that must have been registered and be liable business rate payers on November 5, will be able to apply online – see more information and complete a form online here.

Businesses which have a separate rate account must have been open as usual or providing in-person services to customers from their business premises on November 4 and then mandated to close by government from November 5 to qualify for the Local Restrictions Support Grant.

This also applies to business that were closed due to national restrictions imposed on March 23 as a result of regulations made under the Public Health Act 1984. This includes nightclubs, dance halls and sexual entertainment venues.

The government provided £2,181,564 to the City of Lincoln Council through the Local Restrictions Support Grant to support rate paying businesses forced to close within their area.

Funding of £1,985,980 has also been awarded to the city council to support businesses more broadly over the coming months through the Additional Restrictions Grant.

This means businesses that don’t have a separate business rates account can qualify, but they must:

  • Have been open as usual and providing in-person services to customers from their business premises on November 4 and then mandated to close by government from November 5
  • Be able to evidence non business rates, rent or mortgage costs above the minimum cost threshold

Jo Walker, Assistant Director for Growth at City of Lincoln Council said: “The announcement of this further funding for businesses struggling due to the current lockdown is good news.

“At this difficult time, we know any form of support is much appreciated and I am proud that our team has been able to work quickly to help businesses struggling due to the pandemic.

“Further support is currently being considered for other businesses not required to close but that have been severely affected by the national lockdown.”