Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the criteria are for businesses to access the full Restart Grant of £6,000.

A non-essential retail business may be eligible for Stand One of the Restart Grant Scheme, receiving payments of up to £6,000. A non-essential retail business can be defined as a business that is used mainly or wholly for the purposes of retail sale or hire of goods or services by the public, where the primary purpose of products or services provided are not necessary to the health and well-being of the public.

Local Authorities may use the following criteria to assess whether a business is eligible for a grant under this threshold:

• Businesses offering in-person non-essential retail to the general public.
• Businesses that were likely to have been required to cease their retail operation in the January 2021 lockdown.
• Businesses that had retail services restricted during January lockdown.
• Businesses that sell directly to consumers.

For those business who qualify as non-essential retail the following thresholds apply:

• For properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or under: £2,667;
• For properties with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000: £4,000;
• For properties with a rateable value of £51,000 or over: £6,000.

Local Authorities are responsible for the administration of Restart Grants and determining eligibility.

Further information on eligibility for the Restart Grant can be found at GOV.UK: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/971363/restart-grant-la-guidance.pdf.