Support measures for Birmingham businesses

Birmingham City Council Leader Councillor Ian Ward has assured businesses across the city that council officers are working 'around the clock' to help them access desperately needed support.

A package of enhanced economic measures has been announced by the government to assist businesses affected by COVID-19 that Birmingham-based businesses can access.

The Government is providing additional funding for Local Authorities to support businesses. This includes grants for small businesses that already pay little or no business rates which will provide a one-off grant of £10,000 to eligible businesses to help meet their ongoing business costs.

Businesses will be eligible if they are based in Birmingham, are a small business and already receive small business rate relief (SBRR) and rural rate relief (RRR) and tapered relief and also a business that occupies property.

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council said: “Small and medium businesses are absolutely vital to the Birmingham economy and we're working around the clock to ensure that businesses across the city get the right help at the right time. We want to end the uncertainty as quickly as possible and we're working closely with Government to make it as easy as possible to access these grants to safeguard Birmingham businesses and jobs."

If businesses are in the retail, hospitality or leisure sector, they will receive a cash grant of up to £25,000 per property via the local authority. Businesses in these sectors with a property that has a rateable value of up to £15,000 will receive a grant of £10,000.

Businesses in these sectors with a property that has a rateable value of over £15,000 and less than £51,000 will receive a grant of £25,000.

In order to be eligible for this, businesses must be Birmingham-based, within the above-mentioned sectors. Properties that will benefit from the relief will be occupied properties that are wholly or mainly being used:

• as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues
• for assembly and leisure
• as hotels, guest and boarding premises and self-catering accommodation

Businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or over are not eligible for this scheme. Businesses which are not ratepayers in the business rates system are not included in this scheme.

City Council officers are working as quickly as possible to ensure all eligible businesses get the support they need. Please be assured that we will contact you with details of the grant payment but if you do have any queries then you are best to visit the BCC advice page.

Further information can be found online.

Notes to Editors:

All information on the grants available can be found on the Government website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19#history

Birmingham City Council is today writing to all businesses to advise them of the support now available.