UK Government ‘support finder’ tool will help businesses and self-employed people to quickly and easily determine what financial support is available to them during the coronavirus pandemic.

Use the Business Support Finder Tool

Restrictions Business Fund

On the 30 November the First Minister announced a £340m package of support directed primarily at the hospitality, tourism and leisure related supply chain sectors.

The purpose of the fund is to support businesses into the new year with cash flow support to help them survive the economic consequences of the restrictions put in place.

Hospitality businesses who received the Lockdown Business Grant in October via their Local Authority will begin receiving payments via the ERF Restriction Fund into their back account during December. These businesses will not be required to re-register their details.

For all other eligible businesses to receive any of the ERF Restrictions Fund, businesses will need to register their details, as well as making a short on-line application to their respective local authority for the discretionary elements. These payments will start to reach businesses in January. The fund includes two different grants.

Following the announcement of further restrictions from the 20 December the Business Restrictions Fund package of support has been enhanced to include non-essential retail business forced to close.

PLEASE READ OUR FAQs IF YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS

FAQ - BUSINESS GRANTS

The fund consists of separate grants, PLEASE READ CAREFULLY TO ENSURE YOU APPLY TO THE CORRECT FUND:

ERF Restrictions NDR Business Fund:

Eligibility for the Business Restrictions Fund:

Hospitality, non-essential retail, tourism, leisure and supply chain businesses, which are impacted by the new restrictions that are in receipt of Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) and have a rateable value of £12,000 or less will be eligible for a £3,000 payment. Supply chain businesses qualifying for SBRR will also be eligible for this support if they have greater than 40% reduction in turnover during the restriction period.
Hospitality, non-essential retail, tourism, leisure and supply chain businesses with a rateable value of between £12,001 and £150,000 will also be eligible for a £5,000 payment if impacted by the restrictions. Supply chain businesses in the same rateable value bracket will also be eligible for this support if they have greater than 40% reduction in turnover during the restriction period.

How to access the ERF NDR Restrictions Fund:

https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/business-advice-and-support/restrictions-business-fund

ERF Restrictions Discretionary Grant

Local authorities will continue delivering the Lockdown Discretionary Grant to businesses that are materially impacted. As was the case for the Firebreak, this will continue to be targeted at businesses that are not on the non-domestic rates (NDR) system and therefore not eligible for the NDR linked grants. The grant level for this strand would be set at eligible costs of up to £2,000 per business.
This will provide support to sub VAT sole traders without a property who are materially impacted (>40% reduced turnover) as a result of the restrictions, e.g. cleaners providing services to the hospitality industry.
Application forms for the ERF Restrictions Discretionary Grant can be accessed by visiting the relevant local authority website. Please check your relevant local authority website for details. When all local authority schemes have opened, direct links to the relevant web pages will be published on the Business Wales website.

You are not eligible for this grant if:

You are eligible for, or have received a Non-Domestic Rate Grant from your Local Authority
If you have 50 or more employees
If the business generated less than 50% of your income, the business must be your main source of income.

How to access the ERF Restrictions Discretionary Fund:

https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/business-advice-and-support/restrictions-business-fund-discretionary-grant

Applications will be dealt with on a first come first served basis. This may lead to applications not being appraised after they have been submitted if the fund is fully committed.

ERF Sector Specific Support

If you are not eligible for the above grants you may be eligible for the ERF Sector Specific Fund, more details are available on the ERF Sector Specific Support page.

How to access the ERF Sector Specific Fund:

https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/erf-sector-specific-support

Firebreak Fund - CLOSED

Following the First Minister’s announcement of a short firebreak, the Economic Resilience Fund is being enhanced to almost £300m, which includes an extra £150m to support to businesses affected by the firebreak. It also includes an additional £20m to the £80m fund already announced to help businesses develop in the longer term, of which £20m has been ring-fenced for tourism and hospitality.

Cultural Recovery Fund

The latest funding is part of the Welsh Government’s £53 million package to support the culture and arts sectors which are coping with a dramatic loss of revenue as a result of the pandemic. Visit here for more details.

Welsh Government Financial Support and Grants

See more details and how to apply: Business Wales Financial Support and Grants

Business Rates

Businesses in the Hospitality, leisure and retail sectors with a Rateable Value of below £500,000 are eligible for 100% business rates relief for the financial year 2020/2021.

Support for Employees

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme November 2020 - April 2021

Under the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, all UK employers with a PAYE scheme will be able to access support to continue paying their employees’ salary for those who would otherwise have been laid off due to COVID-19.

Job Support Scheme

The Job Support Scheme is designed to protect viable jobs in businesses who are facing lower demand over the winter months due to Covid-19, to help keep their employees attached to the workforce. The scheme will open on 1 November 2020 and run for 6 months.

For more information: Job Support Scheme

Statutory Sick Pay Support

For more information: Guidance for employees, employers and businesses

Support for the Self Employed

Self-employment Income Support Scheme (claim on or before 19 October 2020)

For more information: Self Employment Income Support Scheme

Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant extension

The grant extension is for self-employed individuals who are currently eligible for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and are actively continuing to trade, but are facing reduced demand due to coronavirus (COVID-19).

For more information: Support for Self Employed

Further financial Support

Covid-19 Wales Business Loan Scheme

Details of the fund, eligibility and application process can be found on: Development Bank of Wales

*Important update* Due to the unprecedented volumes of applications the Development Bank of Wales is now fully subscribed for the Covid-19 Wales Business Loan Scheme.

Kickstart Grant

If you are an employer looking to create jobs placements for young people, apply for funding as part of the Kickstart Scheme.

Covid 19 Innovation Support

Ensuring that your business is COVID-19 safe and compliant while remaining productive and profitable can feel like a huge challenge. But help is available, at no cost to manufacturing businesses in Wales, through SMART Innovation programme, funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

From helping your business to operate safely and meet the necessary guidelines, to working with you to identify other opportunities to make your company more productive and profitable, SMART Innovation is here to help. Make your business safe, efficient and productive today.

Hundreds of businesses have already benefited from the SMART Innovation programme.

Find out more now: Innovation Support

*The UK Government has guaranteed funding for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) projects until programme closure.

Download Centre

We would also like to hear from businesses in order that we can understand how much support is required.

Contact us via email via covid19businesssupport@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

Useful links and other support available: Useful Links

ID: 6161, revised 14/01/2021

Business Advice and Support

Help for Businesses – COVID 19

FAQ - BUSINESS GRANTS

Business Support Finder Tool