Coronavirus (COVID-19):
information for businesses

Some businesses must close, including:

• non-essential retail, except for click and collect or delivery
• pubs, restaurants, bars and cafes, except for takeaway (excluding alcohol) and delivery 
• hotels, B&Bs, holiday lets and campsites, except in limited circumstances
• entertainment venues
• gyms, leisure centres and outdoor sports facilities
• hairdressers and personal care facilities

GOV.UK has a full list of businesses that must close and businesses that can remain open.

Tell us about a business that isn’t following the government’s order to close or isn't following the COVID secure guidance:

• call 0117 922 2500
• email health.safety@bristol.gov.uk

National lockdown business support

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum January 2021

A grant of up to £4,500 for businesses that are registered for business rates and were required to close during the national lockdown from 5 January to 15 February 2021.

Closed Business Lockdown Payment (CBLP)

A one-off lockdown payment, paid in addition to LRSG (Closed) Addendum (January 2021) as follows:

• £4,000 for businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or under
• £6,000 for businesses with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000
• £9,000 for businesses with a rateable value of over £51,000

Additional funding is also being made available for Local Authorities to support other businesses affected by restrictions that might not be eligible for the grants. Read the full announcement on GOV.UK.

Local Restrictions Support grant schemes

The existing schemes will continue to support businesses that have been impacted by lockdown and tier restrictions.

Businesses should apply once per premises. We’ll assess your application for all grant schemes that are relevant to you:

• Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum (November 2020),  a grant of up to £3,000 for businesses that are registered for business rates and were required to close during the national lockdown from 5 November to 1 December 2020
• Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum (January 2021), a grant of up to £4,500 for businesses that are registered for business rates and were required to close during the national lockdown from 5 January to 15 February 2021
• Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed), a grant of up to £1,500 per 14 day period for businesses that are registered for business rates and which have been required to close during Tier 3 restrictions
• Local Restrictions Support Grant (Sector), a grant of up to £3,000 per 28-day period effective from 1 November 2020 for businesses such as nightclubs that were required to close on a national basis since 23 March 2020
• Pub Support (Christmas Support Payment), a one-off payment for December of £1,000 to pubs where less than 50% of the income is derived from food: you must apply by 31 January 2021 to qualify

Discretionary schemes

The LRSG (Open) and the Additional Restrictions Grant are discretionary funds which that will be available to businesses that are impacted by the restrictions but not required to close or are not eligible for other support.

We're working on this and will update this page when the application process is open.

Other loans and grants you can apply for

• Bounce Back Loans scheme (GOV.UK), government-backed loans of £2,000 to £50,000 for small and medium businesses, interest free for 12 months
• Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (GOV.UK)
• COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility, help for large businesses through the purchase of their short-term debt (GOV.UK)
• Government Future Fund
• Musicians' Union Coronavirus Hardship Fund
• National Lottery Community Fund, for organisations supporting people and communities affected by COVID-19

Use the business support finder on GOV.UK to see what support is available for your business.

• Read guidance for working safely during coronavirus (GOV.UK) 
• Report a suspected coronavirus outbreak

Test and Trace in the workplace

Read government guidance for NHS Test and Trace in the workplace on GOV.UK, including:

• what should happen if a worker develops coronavirus symptoms, tests positive or is told to self-isolate
• collecting customer or visitor data

You must display an NHS Test and Trace QR code in your workplace. Create a QR code on GOV.UK.

Specific sector guidance

Make sure your business reopens in a COVID-secure way by reading our guidance for:

• hospitality businesses
• outdoor events: restarting outdoor events and activities

GOV.UK has information about support for businesses, including:

• the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ('furloughing' workers), which has been extended until March 2021
• deferring VAT payments that were due between 20 March and 30 June 2020 to March 2021
• deferring Self Assessment payments on account that were due by 31 July 2020 to 31 January 2021
• applying for more time to file your company's accounts with Companies House
• paying sick pay to employees (statutory sick pay relief package for SMEs)
• what to do if you can't pay your tax bill on time
• support for larger firms through the COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility
• protecting high street businesses from aggressive rent collection and closure until the end of 2020

Use the GOV.UK coronavirus business support finder to find out what support your business is eligible for.

• Retail, leisure and hospitality business can ​​​apply for a business rates holiday for the 2020 to 2021 tax year
• Nurseries will get a business rates holiday for the 2020 to 2021 tax year. We’ll send revised bills to eligible businesses. 

Read guidance for:

• working safely during coronavirus on GOV.UK
• health professionals on GOV.UK
• adult care providers
• suppliers to the council
• hospitality businesses
• shops and branches (GOV.UK)

Local

• Business West
• West of England Combined Authority
• Black South West Network
• Voscur
• Bristol Food Union

National

• The Federation of Small Businesses
• Enterprise Nation
• Creative England 
• National Council of Voluntary Organisations
• Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS)
• Bectu: the union for creative ambition
• Musicians' Union
• UK Hospitality
• Night Time Industries Association
• The British Institute of Innkeeping
• Equity 

Find out about:

• ‘furloughing’ staff through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on GOV.UK
• support with paying sick pay for staff who've been off work because of COVID-19, if you have fewer than 250 employees 
• the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme of £500 for eligible low paid workers whose earnings are affected by staying at home and isolating for 14 days

Mental health support

• Thrive at Work has guidance for helping your employees stay mentally and physically well during coronavirus and beyond
• Business in the Community has a 'COVID-19: employee health and wellbeing' toolkit

If you can’t work because you’ve had symptoms of COVID-19 or have self isolated, you can apply for:

• Universal Credit (UC) (GOV.UK)
• new style Employment and Support Allowance (GOV.UK)

If you’ve lost income because of COVID-19, you can apply for:

• the Self employment Income Support Scheme (GOV.UK)
• Universal Credit (UC) (GOV.UK), if you’re not eligible for the Self-employment income support scheme

GOV.UK has information about:

• deferring Self Assessment payments due on 31 July 2020 until 31 January 2021 
• support with tax that's due

Future Bright offers careers coaching, training and support to self employed workers whose ability to earn has been affected by COVID-19.

If you're looking for temporary or new staff, email ways2work@bristol.gov.uk with information about the vacancy and we'll help promote it on the Ways2Work website.

Offer a work placement to people aged 16 to 24 through the Kickstart scheme.