Small Business Rates Grants Are Councils helping?

Are some Councils better than others at dealing with the grants

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Our firm has clients from several different council areas and they all seem to be dealing with the Small Business Rates grants in different ways - some better than others.  The local council for my area issued letters to businesses who are claiming small business rates relief asking for bank details to enable them to make the payment when the funding came through - proactive and helpful - we will see over the next few days how quickly the funds come through now that the councils have the money from Central Government. However I have clients in different council areas who were unaware that this funding was available as the councils just put a "claim portal" on their website and left it up to businesses to find it.  When the councils themselves have information about businesses claiming small business rates relief I find it incredible that they are asking businesses to "make a claim" when they coud expediate the matter in the same way as it was done in my local area.  In these times when all small businesses are looking for help wherever they can I find this appallingly neglectful on the part of the councils concerned - the funds are intended to help small businesses in their areas and the councils should be making sure the funds get to those businesses. Has anyone else experienced this problem?  If so what, if anything, apart from making sure clients are directed to the councils websites to make the claim can be done about it?   

Replies (31)

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By Southwestbeancounter
02nd Apr 2020 13:40

Wow on two counts!
Firstly that your council is so proactive but more so that some councils are actually not going to contact businesses direct! I thought I read that businesses need do nothing until they were contacted by their council which I presumed would be via letter.
What a pain - I'd better look pronto on the Bath & NE Somerset council website now then!
Thanks for the potential 'heads up'!

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By ohgoodgodno
02nd Apr 2020 13:54

we've already contacted our local MP to complain about our local council as they are in the band of waiting for rate payers to contact them rather than doing what is meant to be done

there will be businesses in need of help who dont get it with the current approach

the guidance provided by the government is clear - this is an automatic relief and you do not need to apply

the local councils should have details of all rate payers that are eligible and administer the funds accordingly

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Replying to ohgoodgodno:
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By Jimess
02nd Apr 2020 13:58

I agree wholehertedly - my understanding has always been that the councils would contact the ratepayers - but unfortunately some councils have decided otherwise.
Has your MP been able to help at all?

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Replying to ohgoodgodno:
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By GW
02nd Apr 2020 14:25

You don't need to apply, however as council's normally collect in business rates rather than pay out money, they need a way for those eligable to tell them where to pay the money.

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By Jimess
02nd Apr 2020 13:55

Good luck - on some council websites it is not easy to find! Glad it has helped you.

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By Southwestbeancounter
02nd Apr 2020 14:53

I'm gonna thank you again Jimess!
Yes, I got onto the Bath & NE Somerset website and there it was (once you'd actually gone into the Coronavirus section) a nice little link to chose which grant you were applying for etc.
Why they wanted a PDF of your passport or driving licence I don't quite know.
So thanks again - I've now got this afternoon's work mapped out!

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Replying to Southwestbeancounter:
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By Jimess
02nd Apr 2020 15:06

Glad you found it - it was worth asking the question if it has been of help. Good luck.
As someone has pointed out earlier you shouldn't need to apply for it, the council should be able to identify small business rates relief claimants. However the council do need bank details to make the payments.

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Replying to Southwestbeancounter:
By SteveHa
02nd Apr 2020 15:34

I'm wonderinf if this is an MLR thing to ensure that it's being paid to the right person. (completely unnecessary if they are doing it right, but it would explain it).

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Replying to SteveHa:
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By Southwestbeancounter
02nd Apr 2020 15:48

Yes agreed in my case as I am the sole director of the company, my company is obviously registered at Companies House and so they can check me out too to a certain extent. In the case of a sole trader though, they cannot look up the owners of the business like that so the trail goes a bit cold at that point. I suppose the best safeguard is that the money needs to go into the bank account registered for the business and the PDF of the bank statement should prove that.

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Caroline
By accountantccole
02nd Apr 2020 15:40

Is it worth adding links to relevant pages as and when Council portals are up and running

https://www.lewes-eastbourne.gov.uk/community/covid-19/help-for-business...
Currently saying "We are on track to issue letters to eligible businesses by 17 April which will have details of how businesses can claim their grant via an online portal. The process is taking more time because the government have issued three different versions of their guidance for implementing the scheme. However, we are using this time to put in place the systems to speed up payment of the grants and reduce the chance of fraudulent claims. We recognise how vital these grants are to local businesses and are doing all we can to get the money to you as soon as possible."

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Replying to accountantccole:
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By Jimess
02nd Apr 2020 15:59

great idea - many thanks - Here are some of the councils we have looked at:
https://www.east riding of yorkshire council small business rates relief covid-19
Letters sent out to relevant business rate "customers" on 19 March 2020 requesting bank details for payment, with guidance about how they identify recipients.
http://www.hull.gov.uk/business/business-grants-and-funding/covid-19-gra...
Online form available from 3 April 2020
https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/doitonline/request-a-small-business-grant-f...
web page with "Do It Now" button detailing information required for claim

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By SXGuy
02nd Apr 2020 15:42

Yes. Brentwood Council sent me no letter it was by chance I looked on their website to find a portal to make a claim. Absolutely disgusting.

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By legerman
02nd Apr 2020 15:56

Doncaster Council is an online form
https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/Eforms/PropertyEform/Boot/2900500

Harrogate Council is an online form
https://www.harrogate.gov.uk/info/20202/business_support/1310/business_r...

Hambleton District is a letter and you return it with your details.

I've informed all my eligible clients with a link to the form.

I only found out after seeing a social media ad from Doncaster Council. Checked Harrogate Council and found the form there.

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Caroline
By accountantccole
02nd Apr 2020 15:58

Wealden seem to have a live portal up and running already
https://www.wealden.gov.uk/new…/coronavirus-covid-19-latest/

Hastings asking for patience
https://www.hastings.gov.uk/my-council/covid19/businesses/…/

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Replying to accountantccole:
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By Southwestbeancounter
02nd Apr 2020 16:04

Good idea accountantccole.

Here's the link to the B&NES website for anyone in the Bath area:

https://beta.bathnes.gov.uk/register-business-grant-due-covid-19

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By Jimess
02nd Apr 2020 16:06

York City Council have the grant claim page up and running https://www.york.gov.uk/COVIDBusinessGrant

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John Toon
By John Toon
02nd Apr 2020 16:25

My experience of both South Lakes District Council and Gwynedd council has been the same. No notification so far, although this may still be forthcoming, but they do both have grant claim portals on their websites. SLDC certainly did not have this live a week ago when I last looked and it's by dint of the fact that I was researching the Wales business support (hence Gwynedd council) that I then doubled back to SLDC.

Experience of using both is very different. Gywnedd was a simple fill out your details, address, phone number, email, bank details etc and we'll pay you the money. No reference number issued or email received in follow up. SLDC requested similar info plus a declaration of what scheme you were claiming under and required a copy of the bank statement to accompany the submission. Reference number issued and email follow up to confirm.

Submissions were only done yesterday so no funds paid as yet!

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By bronnley
02nd Apr 2020 17:21

One of my Clients has just received an emailed remittance advice from North Lincolnshire Council for £10,000. It's dated today, but the funds are not in the bank yet. As it's a BACs payment, I guess it will be a couple of days before it clears into his bank. He only filled in the online form on Saturday!

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By bettybobbymeggie
03rd Apr 2020 08:54

Personally I am surprised that members on here are leaving it to LA's to contact their clients. I have been in touch with mine and provided appropriate links, and a few have already received their grants.

Wrexham:
https://beta.wrexham.gov.uk/service/covid-19-support-businesses

Shropshire:
https://shropshire.gov.uk/covid-19-grants

Cheshire East: https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/business/business_rates/business-rates-r...

Cheshire West & Chester:
https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/news-and-views/incidents/coron...

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Replying to bettybobbymeggie:
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By Jimess
03rd Apr 2020 09:02

The issue is that the Chancellor's announcement stated that the grant would be automatically paid to businesses claiming small business rates relief, but some councils are not contacting businesses, making it hard to find the information on their websites, and leaving it up to businesses to "claim" the grant. We are pushing as much information out to clients as we can, but the way that different councils are dealing with this is leaving some businesses without this funding for much longer than others, and for businesses that are unaware that they need to contact the councils themselves - they may lose out completely.

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Replying to Jimess:
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By bettybobbymeggie
03rd Apr 2020 09:31

As soon as I saw that it would be down to the LA's to contact clients I took that as an opportunity to get ahead and get my client's applications in as soon as the web links were published. For me it was an easy opportunity to look proactive and not rely on snail mail from the council. I didn't have much difficulty finding the links, so perhaps I have been fortunate with my local authorities. I don't understand your comment regarding clients "that are unaware that they need to contact the councils themselves" - surely it is our job to "coral" them, no?

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Replying to bettybobbymeggie:
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By Jimess
03rd Apr 2020 09:48

I think johnty7 has said it all for me.
We all have a lot on our plates helping clients through the maze of what they are and are not eligible for, so it is quite impossible to keep your eye on how every council is dealing with the small business grants - and which councils are dragging their feet, I am very sad to say. I have posted the ones I am aware of, mainly because clients started raising the questions about how long it would take once the Chancellor announced that the monies had been deposited with the councils. A lot of councils have not acted on this in the spirit that the Chancellor intended them to - and as a result a lot of businesses could founder before they receive this support.

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Replying to bettybobbymeggie:
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By Southwestbeancounter
03rd Apr 2020 15:09

bettybobbymeggie wrote:

As soon as I saw that it would be down to the LA's to contact clients I took that as an opportunity to get ahead and get my client's applications in as soon as the web links were published. For me it was an easy opportunity to look proactive and not rely on snail mail from the council. I didn't have much difficulty finding the links, so perhaps I have been fortunate with my local authorities. I don't understand your comment regarding clients "that are unaware that they need to contact the councils themselves" - surely it is our job to "coral" them, no?

Yes that was exactly my feeling bettybobbymeggie - if I can do something proactive to help clients at this time then all well and good. I spent yesterday afternoon drafting a generic letter then emailed it out to specific clients with a personalised message and today one of them (who I included 'just in case' as his service charge paid as part of his business rent used to include an amount for business rates) has come back to me as pleased as punch saying that nowadays he has his own nil business rates bill and so is eligible to claim and so will receive £10k that he had not idea about! That was the icing on the cake for me after a rather rough week and definitely worth spending an afternoon on!

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Replying to bettybobbymeggie:
John Toon
By John Toon
03rd Apr 2020 09:20

It might be surprising but when the government says that Local Authorities will contact all affected businesses you might just tend to think that's what might happen.

Call me naive but I've already got quite a lot on my plate let alone have to coral my clients and try and point them to the right LA, all of whom seem to be doing something different, and the details of which I won't know without spending a disproportionate amount of time.

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Replying to johnt27:
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By Jimess
03rd Apr 2020 09:50

Thank you - it is hard to keep on top of everything.
I have to say that I am really surprised and grateful for all of the responses to this post.

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Replying to Jimess:
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By perry23
03rd Apr 2020 14:46

Received £10k from WLDC today

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Replying to perry23:
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By Jimess
03rd Apr 2020 14:55

Wow thats fast!
It's great to hear that some are getting through.

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By Open all hours
03rd Apr 2020 14:24

Ryedale District Council seemed slow to begin with. Nothing on the website about business support for the first two weeks.
Since the portal opened on Friday they’ve done much better and funds have become available Tuesday/Wednesday this week.

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By Open all hours
03rd Apr 2020 14:26

Ryedale District Council seemed slow to begin with. Nothing on the website about business support for the first two weeks.
Since the portal opened on Friday they’ve done much better and funds have become available Tuesday/Wednesday this week.

Now all we have to do is convince them that Horse Racing is in some way part of the leisure industry.

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By Jimess
03rd Apr 2020 14:48

Hull city council portal has opened today

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