Restart grants now open for applications in Oldham

One-off grants of up to £6,000 are available for non-essential retail businesses while hospitality, leisure, accommodation, personal care, gym and sport businesses could receive a one-off grant of up to £18,000

Businesses forced to close during the national lockdown can now apply for a Restart Grant to help them reopen safely as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. 

The new scheme is for non-essential retail and hospitality, leisure, accommodation, personal care, gym and sport businesses and is being administered via Oldham Council. 

One-off grants of up to £6,000 are available for non-essential retail businesses while hospitality, leisure, accommodation, personal care, gym and sport businesses could receive a one-off grant of up to £18,000. 

Detailed information is available at: www.oldham.gov.uk/restartgrants - where businesses can also apply for a grant. 

Anne Ryans, Director of Finance at Oldham Council, said: “Restart Grants will replace the monthly Local Restrictions Support Grants and Closed Business Lockdown Payment. 

“Even if you have previously received a grant through one of these schemes, you must apply for a Restart Grant – we cannot use existing information to automatically pay you. 

"This is because the government has increased the information we have to collect from businesses before we can pay the grant. 

“Many businesses will be eligible so please apply and provide all the information requested to help avoid any delays with your application.” 

Restart Grants are only available for businesses that pay business rates. 

The scheme will close to applications on June 30, 2021. 

A discretionary fund will be launched to mirror the scheme for non-rate paying businesses in the eligible sectors. 

Council officials will provide a further update on this discretionary scheme as soon as possible. 

A wide range of other discretionary grants are still available, including Supply Chain Grants for leisure and hospitality sector suppliers, Taxi Cash Grants, Self-Employment Discretionary Grants (for leisure and hospitality businesses and driving instructors) as well as help with business rates. 

Visit: www.oldham.gov.uk/businessgrants for more information. 

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