Businesses invited to apply for a share of £1.4m Covid-19 rate relief

West Suffolk businesses who were impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic are being encouraged to apply for a reduction to their rates.

More than £1.4 million of business rate relief is available in West Suffolk under the government’s Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) scheme. The scheme is for businesses who haven’t received any of the other types of business rate reliefs given during the pandemic.

It is the second phase of CARF with more than £2.6 million already awarded to businesses by West Suffolk Council who are administering the scheme.

The first phase saw the authority award close to £970,000 of rate relief to 214 businesses who successfully applied for CARF during February and March this year. New bills showing the reduction to their business rate accounts, were sent to these businesses and they are not eligible for further CARF funds.

The council also awarded a lower proportion of rate relief to over 1,200 businesses who hadn’t applied but who work in those business sectors that, according to government data, were hardest hit by pandemic.

The council and Anglia Revenues Partnership are now writing to these businesses to tell them how they can apply for a higher level of rate relief which would be proportionate to that awarded to those businesses that applied under phase one.

CARF phase two, however, isn’t just open to these businesses that have received this smaller proportion of discount to their business rates.

Phase two of CARF is open to businesses that:

• Are in the business rates system;
• Can demonstrate that they have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic;
• Have not qualified for other Covid-19 rate relief such as the relief given to retail, hospitality, leisure, and childcare nurseries; and
• Didn’t apply for CARF in February/ March 2022.

Phase two funding is being awarded on a first come first served basis. Applications will be considered as they come in and against the eligibility criteria. The scheme will close at the end of August 2022 or sooner if all the money has been fully allocated.

Susan Glossop, cabinet member for Growth at West Suffolk Council, said: “We know that the pandemic had a huge impact on many different business sectors who we have spoken to. We have worked to administer millions of pounds in various support grants to businesses including those outside the business rate system during the pandemic and we are keen to get the CARF funding to eligible West Suffolk businesses as swiftly as we can. The funding is limited and so we would urge businesses who have been impacted to apply as soon as possible and before the money has gone.”

For more on how to apply visit https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support/covid-19-additional-relief-fund.cfm