Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open)

This grant is for businesses that were not legally required to close but were severely impacted by the Tier 2 or Tier 3 local restrictions. This does not apply during periods of national lockdown - see our business grants page for other funding available. 

For Dorset, tier restrictions were in place as follows:

• Tier 2 from 2 December 2020 to 30 December 2020
• Tier 3 from 31 December 2020 to 4 January 2021

This grant applies to businesses linked to the hospitality, hotel, bed and breakfast and leisure sectors. 

Eligibility

To qualify, your business must be in the Dorset Council area and must have been:

• open as usual before the 5 November national lockdown restrictions, and
• able to demonstrate a severe financial loss under Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions – we will ask you for evidence of this

Exclusions 

You are not eligible for this grant if your business:

• has chosen to close or are you are in receipt of unoccupied property rates
• has continued to trade and has not been severely impacted, as you continue to provide normal services
• is one of the specific businesses that were required to close on 23 March 2020 under national restriction
• has already received grant payments that equal the maximum levels of State Aid permitted under the de minimis and the COVID-19 Temporary State Aid Framework
• was in administration, insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made

Payments

You will be paid a fixed amount for every 14 day period (or a pro-rata amount if the restrictions were in place for less than 14 days), while Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions were in place. 

Grant funding is provided as follows:

• £467 per 14 day period for businesses with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under on the date of commencement of the local restrictions
• £700 per 14 day period for businesses with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on the date of commencement of the local restrictions
• £1,050 per 14 day period for businesses with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 or above on the date of commencement of the local restrictions

If we can't attribute a rateable value to your trading premises, you will be entitled to grants at the lower rate of £467 per 14 day period.

Tax

Any grant income your business receives is taxable. You must include the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open) as income on your tax return. You'll only pay tax if your business makes an overall profit once grant income is included.

Fraud or payment in error

We will not accept deliberate manipulation and fraud. Any business caught falsifying their records to gain grant money will face prosecution and funding issued will be recovered. Funding may also be recovered for any grants paid in error.

We undertake pre and post payment checks to combat the risks of fraud and payment error.