Strategic Framework Business Fund
FAQs
My business only opens on certain days of the week and was not open on 2 November – do I still qualify for this grant?
Yes – to qualify, the business is required to be trading on 2nd November, but this does not mean you must be open every day so if this was one of your closure days that week you still qualify.
My business is only obliged by law to operate for restricted hours rather than close. However, with so little business I have decided to close anyway – do I still qualify for a grant.
Yes – however you would only be eligible for the restrictions grant rather than the closure grant.
I am a tenant not the owner of the property where my business is based so am not liable for the rates on the property. Can I still apply for this grant?
Yes – as long as they are in a qualifying sector, tenants are entitled to apply for this grant but should provide a copy of their lease with their application.
My property is NOT non-domestically rated and I pay council tax – Do I qualify for this grant?
No – the Scottish Government have informed the Council that only properties on non-domestic rates are eligible for this grant fund. Properties that fall under the council tax bracket are not eligible. Further grant schemes are expected for sectors such as B&Bs which may assist you. We would advise checking our website where any further information will be posted once it is available.
I do not have any permanent premises in which I operate from – Do I qualify for this grant?
No – to be eligible for this grant, you must have a non-domestically rated premises which you operate from. Further grant schemes are expected in future which may assist you. We would advise checking our website where any further information will be posted once it is available.
I operate my business with a personal bank account, not a business one – Do I qualify for this grant?
Yes - The Scottish Government would prefer businesses to have a formal Business Bank Account but have advised that a normal bank account that is used mainly for your business that shows income and outgoings and is in your/or the business name, is acceptable.
I have already applied for and received payments for the Business Restriction Fund, but my business is now required to close by law. Do I need to reapply for the Business Temporary Closure Fund?
No - The Strategic Framework grant scheme was designed to allow payments to be made at different levels depending on whether the property was obliged to restrict operations or close. If you have already applied for a Restrictions grant in November/December 2020, you will automatically receive a closure payment. We anticipate this first payment will be made at the end of January.
Do I need to reapply every four weeks for each grant payment?
No – once your initial application has been approved, subsequent payments will be made automatically every four weeks, for the duration restrictions are in place.
If I don’t qualify for this grant, what other support is available?
The Highland Council have only been asked to administer certain grant schemes, but a number of others do exist. For example some of those run directly by the UK Government are still continuing or have been revised and we’ve tried to give some advice and links that might be of use.
I own a licensed premise and have applied for/received a Strategic Framework grant already - will I receive the newly announced one-off top-up grant automatically or do I need to apply separately?
If you are a licensed premise, there is no need to reapply for the one-off top-up grant if you have already applied for the Strategic Framework grant. This will automatically be added to your January payment. Self-catering properties, guest houses, B&Bs and other holiday accommodations will not receive this automatically - we anticipate that this will be a separate scheme.
I own a self-catering property, guest house, hostel or B&B - will I receive the newly announced one-off top-up grant automatically or do I need to apply separately?
Self-catering properties, guest houses, B&Bs and other holiday accommodations will not receive this automatically, we anticipate that this will be a separate scheme. Further details will be posted on the Council’s website when we have received them from Scottish Government.