Apply for a Local Authority Discretionary Grant

The Government has asked us to use this fund to support businesses who were previously ineligible. Businesses who were supported by the original grant schemes cannot receive further funding under this scheme.

The funding for this scheme is limited and will not be able to support every business that has been excluded from previous grant schemes. 

Eligible businesses

Government have set out guidance on the businesses to prioritise and the eligibility criteria that apply to this scheme. Eligible businesses must demonstrate they were trading on the 11 March 2020, they have experienced significant loss in business due to coronavirus and have fixed property charges.

The Government has asked us to prioritise the following types of businesses:

• small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces eg units in industrial parks, science parks and incubators which do not have their own business rates assessment
• regular market traders with fixed building costs, such as rent, who do not have their own business rates assessment - traders must be resident in County Durham and trading for a minimum of four days per week
• bed and breakfast businesses (registered with Environmental Health) who pay council tax instead of business rates - where the business is mainly used as a guest or boarding house and does not include Airbnb properties
• charity properties in receipt of Charitable Business Rates Relief who would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief

As well as those businesses listed above, our grant scheme will also target financial support to:

• small manufacturing businesses that have retail outlets at their property which sell to the public, which were not eligible under the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants Scheme as the retail element was less than 50% of floor space
• businesses involved in the supply chain to the retail, hospitality and leisure industries 
• not for profit community leisure facilities
• private children's nursery businesses 

Businesses described above who have applied for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough) are eligible for this scheme.

Only businesses trading on 11 March 2020 are eligible.

Businesses not eligible under this scheme

This scheme does not support businesses operating from a home address or Town and Parish Councils. 

Businesses that are eligible for cash grants from any central government Covid-related scheme. These schemes include:

• Small Business Grant Fund 
• Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant 
• The Fisheries Response Fund 
• Domestic Seafood Supply Scheme (DSSS)
• The Zoos Support Fund
• The Dairy Hardship Fund

Companies that are in administration, insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made are not eligible for funding under this scheme.

Find out more

For further information please see:

• our  Discretionary Rates Relief and Business Rates Hardship Relief Policy (PDF, 389.6kb)
• Top-up to COVID-19 local business grant funds scheme
• Gov.uk: business support finder can help you determine your eligibility for cash grants, tax relief and loans

If you require help completing the form contact us.

Payment of grants

Once we receive your application for the Covid-19 Local Authority Discretionary Grant we will let you know. If you are eligible we will make payment to the bank account you have provided.

Please note: you may receive payment before you receive notification from us. However, you will clearly see on your bank transactions that the payment is from 'DCC'.

We will notify you if you are not entitled to a grant.