Coronavirus support for Sandwell businesses: Discretionary Business Grants
* * * This scheme closed on Friday 28 August 2020 * * *
About the Discretionary Business Grant
The government provided local authorities with additional funding to support small businesses with high fixed property costs not covered by the current Small Business Rates and Retail, Hospitality & Leisure grant schemes.
Please read Sandwell Council’s Business Grants Discretionary Scheme document.
This page was last reviewed on Monday 30 August. 
Eligible businesses may be able to secure between £2.5k and £10k of grant funding and in exceptional circumstances £25k. The criteria used to determine which businesses get a grant is set by the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, and a panel of council officers and local business experts.
Businesses should apply via the council’s MySandwell online form.
If you meet the eligibility criteria, your application will be assessed by the panel.
You will need to have a MySandwell account and be logged in to complete the form.
The fund is cash-limited, so grants will be given out on a ‘first come first served’ basis. Therefore we urge businesses to get their applications in as soon as possible.
Frequently asked questions
How will the Discretionary Business Grants be distributed?
Applications will be processed and paid to eligible applicants in date order.
How will the grant be paid?
Straight into your bank.
How do I apply?
Complete the online format MySandwell – you need to have an account and be logged in.
What is the eligibility criteria?
Your business must either be a small or micro business, as defined in the Companies Act 2006.
For the purposes of this grant, small businesses are defined as:
* Having a turnover of no more than £10.2m
* Having a balance sheet total of no more than £5.1m
* Employing no more than 50 people.
Your business must satisfy two or more of those requirements in a year.
Micro businesses are defined as:
* Having a turnover of no more than £632,000
* Having a balance sheet total of no more than £316,000
* Employing no more than ten people.
Your business must satisfy two or more of those requirements in a year.
Your business must also have been trading on 11 March 2020.
What businesses/sectors are eligible?
* Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces
* Regular market traders with fixed building costs, such as rent, who do not have their own business rates assessment
* Bed & breakfasts which pay council tax instead of business rates
* Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief
* Other types of micro or small businesses not listed above.
How much will I get?
This will depend upon your scoring. Eligible businesses may be able to secure between £2.5k and £10k of grant funding. In exceptional circumstances a small number of businesses may be able to secure £25k – dependant on scoring.
Why do I have to fill in all the information?
Sandwell Council has to carry out due diligence checks for your application and needs all the information in order to to do this.
Will I get confirmation that my application has been received?
Yes, you will get a case reference number system generated on a confirmation PDF. Use the number as reference. You will also receive a further, second PDF with a copy of the application form you filed.
> Go to coronavirus support for Sandwell businesses.
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So we can support you better, please use this short survey to tell Sandwell Council how COVID-19 has impacted on your business.
