South Cambridgeshire District Council is now welcoming applications for its discretionary COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF).
The Government funding is to provide additional business rates relief to support rate-paying businesses affected by the pandemic between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021. It is for businesses which weren’t eligible for previous support linked to business rates, who can prove they have been adversely affected by the pandemic and have been unable to adequately adapt to that impact.
Eligibility criteria will apply, and the scheme will not cover ratepayers who were eligible for Extended Retail Discount (covering Retail, Hospitality and Leisure), those who were eligible for Nursery Discount, or businesses where the premises was unoccupied. Premises that were temporarily closed due to government advice on COVID-19 may still apply.
Full details and eligibility criteria, along with an application form, can be found at www.scambs.gov.uk/CARF
Applications will close on 13 May 2022. Rate Relief will be paid onto Business Rates accounts as soon as possible after all applications have been assessed.
South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Chief Operating Officer, Anne Ainsworth, said: “If your business has been adversely impacted by the pandemic and was not eligible for other Covid-related business rates support, please visit our website to check the eligibility criteria and apply now. Businesses have had an incredibly tough two years and we want to do all that we can to support them.”