COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF)
On 15 December 2021 the Government published guidance on the COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) to be administered by local authorities.
This relief is for business rate payers who have not been eligible to receive business rates reliefs under other government schemes. The relief is available to reduce chargeable amounts in respect of the financial year 2021/22 only.
The Council is required to establish a local discount scheme to determine which businesses to support. The aim of the new relief is to support ratepayers who have been adversely affected by the pandemic and have been unable to adequately adapt to that impact.
Eligibility Criteria
The following eligibility criteria apply:
- The business must be able to demonstrate that the pandemic has had an adverse effect on their business and it has been unable to adequately adapt to that impact.
- The business must not have been eligible for the Expanded Retail Discount or Nursery Discount business rate relief schemes.
- The business premises must be occupied (other than for temporary closure due to government advice on COVID-19).
- The business must employ staff who worked at the business premises (or would have worked at the business premises were it not for COVID-19 restrictions).
- Precepting authorities, including town and parish Councils may not apply.
Amount of Relief
The total amount of relief to be distributed is equivalent to the Council’s allocation of £3,612,231.
Businesses may apply for relief until midday on Friday 19 August. Relief will be awarded on a pro rata basis of the rateable value of successful applicants’ hereditaments at the end of the application period.
Businesses with more than one property may apply for relief on all eligible premises.
How to Apply
Applications are no longer being accepted for this scheme.
Full details of the Council’s CARF scheme may be found in our Discretionary Rate Relief Policy.