Folkestone & Hythe COVID Omicron Business Grants – OHLG and ARG

This update is further to the government announcement on 21st December 2021 about further grant funding for businesses severely affected by the COVID Omicron variant.

This has resulted in two grant schemes now available to some Folkestone & Hythe businesses – the Omicron Hospitality & Leisure Grant (OHLG) for eligible businesses within the rating system (i.e. are business rate payers) and a relaunch of the Folkestone & Hythe Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).

The OHLG scheme is being administered by the Folkestone & Hythe Business Rates Team and the ARG scheme is being administered by the Economic Development Team at Folkestone & Hythe District Council.

Omicron Hospitality & Leisure Grant

Please see the web link below to the webpage about the Folkestone & Hythe scheme on our corporate website.  This webpage provides more information about the scheme, including eligibility, application requirements and access to the application form.

Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant Scheme – Folkestone & Hythe District Council

Folkestone & Hythe Additional Restrictions Grant

A further £165,000 has been made available to Folkestone & Hythe District Council by the Government for another ARG grant award to businesses that have been severely affected by the COVID Omicron variant.

As a result of the limited funding available, the eligibility criteria for an ARG award has been reviewed and only businesses meeting the following criteria will be eligible for a grant award:

  • The business has not received an OMLG grant.
  • Business income in December 2021 was reduced by at least 25%.
  • Monthly fixed business costs amount to at least 15% of the ARG award (i.e. where a business is eligible for £2,667 fixed costs need to be at least £400).
  • The business is in the Hospitality, Leisure or Accommodation (as defined in the government guidance for the OHLG scheme) sector or the supply chain for one of these sectors.
  • The business is a registered businesses/charities/CICs/ etc. (i.e. not sole traders) unless the applicant is sole traders that provides ‘serviced’ holiday accommodation. 
  • The business or organisation operates or has a presence in the Folkestone & Hythe district
  • The business was actively trading on or since 31 December 2021 and is not in administration, insolvent or subject to a striking-off notice.
    • The business has not received more financial support than is allowable under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance, the COVID-19 Business Grant Allowance and the COVID-19 Business Grant Special Allowance.

Businesses eligible for an ARG award will receive the following grant level accordingly:

  • £2,667  – where business accommodation has a rateable value under £15,000 or has under 5 FTE employees (including those furloughed) and annual turnover was under £150,000 in the 2020/21 financial year
  • £4,000 – where business accommodation has a rateable value between £15,001 – £51,000 or has 5 to 20 FTE employees and annual turnover was between £150,001 and £250,000 in the 2020/21 financial year
  • £6,000 –where business accommodation has a rateable value over £51,000 or has more than 20 FTE employees and annual turnover was greater than £250,001 in the 2020/21 financial year

Grants will be awarded to eligible businesses on a first come first served basis, due to the limited recent funds made available for this ARG scheme round.

For further information about the latest Folkestone & Hythe Additional Restrictions Grants scheme and access to the online application form, please see the link at the bottom of this email.

Any application required additional supporting evidence to be emailed separately to economy@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk. Details of these requirements are set out on the webpage. Please note: an application will not be processed until the required supporting evidence has also been received.

The closing date for applications for a Folkestone & Hythe Additional Restrictions Grant is 5pm Friday 11 February 2022.  Any applications and supporting evidence received after this date will not be progressed.

If you have any further questions about this scheme, please contact myself or Andy Markwell (andy.markwell@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk) by email or on 01303 853287

Please see this web link to the Folkestone & Hythe ARG webpage here

Additional Restrictions Grant Scheme – Folkestone & Hythe District Council

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