Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant Scheme

The Government has announced an Omicron hospitality and leisure grant scheme.

The scheme provides support to hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses, in recognition that the rise of the Omicron variant means that some businesses are likely to struggle over the coming weeks.

The scheme closed on Friday 18 March 2022 and no more applications will be accepted.

Eligibility and payment amount

In order to qualify you must have been the ratepayer on 30 December 2021.

Businesses must have been trading on 30 December 2021 to be eligible to receive funding under this scheme.

The primary principle of the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant scheme is to support businesses that offer in-person services, where the main service and activity takes place in a fixed rate-paying premises, in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sectors.

• Businesses occupying premises with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under on 30 December 2021 will receive a payment of £2,667
• Businesses occupying premises with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on 30 December 2021 will receive a payment of £4,000
• Businesses occupying premises with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or over on 30 December 2021 will receive a payment of £6,000

Businesses will only be eligible where their main service falls within hospitality, leisure or accommodation.

If a business operates services that could be considered hospitality or leisure, and also fall into another category, the main service will be determined by assessing which category constitutes 50% or more of their overall income.

The main service principle will determine whether a business receives funding. Businesses will need to declare which is their main service.

Please see the information below for details of qualifying criteria for hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses who may qualify for this grant.

Hospitality

For the purposes of this scheme, a hospitality business can be defined as a business whose main function is to provide a venue for the consumption and for the sale of food and/or drink.

We will use the following criteria to assess whether a business is eligible for a grant under this threshold:

• Businesses offering in-person food and drink services to the "general public".
• Businesses that provide food and/or drink to be consumed on the premises, including outdoors.

Government guidance states that for the purpose of this scheme the definition of a hospitality business should exclude: food kiosks and businesses whose main service (generating 50% or more of income) is a takeaway (not applicable to those that have adapted to offer takeaways).

Leisure

For the purposes of this scheme, a leisure business can be defined as a business that provides opportunities, experiences and facilities, in particular for culture, recreation, entertainment, celebratory events and days and nights out.

We will use the following criteria to assess whether a business is eligible for a grant under this threshold:

• Businesses that may provide in-person intangible experiences in addition to goods.
• Businesses that may rely on seasonal labour.
• Businesses that may assume particular public safety responsibilities.
• Businesses that may operate with irregular hours through day, night and weekends.

Government guidance states that for the purpose of this scheme the definition of a leisure business excludes:

• All retail businesses
• Coach tour operators
• Tour operators
• Gyms and sports businesses where physical exercise or training is conducted on an individual basis or group basis.

Accommodation

For the purposes of this scheme, an accommodation business can be defined as a business whose main lodging provision is used for holiday, travel or other purposes.

We will use the following criteria to assess whether a business is eligible for a grant under this threshold:

• Businesses that provide accommodation for 'away from home' stays for work or leisure purposes.
• Businesses that provide accommodation for short-term leisure and holiday purposes.

Government guidance states that for the purpose of this scheme the definition of an accommodation business excludes:

• Private dwellings
• Education accommodation
• Residential homes
• Care homes
• Residential family centres
• Beach huts.

Exclusions to Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant funding

Businesses that are not within the ratings system will not be eligible to receive funding under this scheme.

Businesses that have already received grant payments that equal the maximum permitted subsidy allowances will not be eligible to receive funding.

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

State Subsidy

When submitting your application for the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant it is your Company's responsibility to check that it is eligible, and by the very submission of an application you are declaring that if awarded payment that you are complying with and will not exceed the relevant permitted allowance thresholds under the UK laws on subsidy control.

If you have any doubt as to your position you must seek appropriate advice before applying as the responsibility lies with your Company.

When submitting your application for the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant we will ask you to declare any subsidies your business has already received.

We will seek further information from you should our due diligence checks highlight that you have exceeded the permitted allowance thresholds mentioned above.

You must also declare that you were not an undertaking in difficulty on 31 December 2019 and are not in administration, insolvent or subject to a striking-off notice.

The Council is reliant on you providing correct and timely information on what subsidies (including those previously referred to as 'State Aid') your company has received. Therefore, it is very important that you take care to ensure that the information provided to the Council is accurate and up to date, particularly if your company may be coming close to the allowance thresholds.

If your company has accepted COVID-19 aid from the Council which has caused your organisation to exceed the new domestic subsidy allowances, the Council shall be entitled to recover any such payments from you.

Further guidance can be found in the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant Guidance document (PDF) [249KB] .

How to apply

To complete the form you will need the following information:

• Name of business
• Business Trading Address including postcode
• Unique identifier (preferably Company Reference Number (CRN)) if applicable. If not applicable you will require one of the following:
  • VAT Registration Number
  • Self-Assessment/Partnership Number
  • National Insurance Number
  • Unique Taxpayer Reference
  • Registered Charity Number will also be acceptable
• High level SIC Code - for additional information on SIC Codes visit GOV.UK - Standard industrial classification of economic activities (SIC)
• Nature of Business
• Date business established
• Number of employees
• Business rate account number

The scheme closed on Friday 18 March 2022 and no more applications will be accepted.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)

This data may be shared with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

The BEIS privacy notice, setting out how BEIS will handle personal data across all COVID-19 business grant schemes.

The Government and the Council will not accept deliberate manipulation and fraud.

Any business caught providing false information to gain grant money to which they are not entitled will face prosecution and any funding issued will be subject to clawback.