Support for business

Strategic Framework Business Fund

Please note this fund closed to new applicants at 5pm on Monday 22 March 2021.

The SLC Covid-19 Strategic Framework Business Fund is being administered by South Lanarkshire Council on behalf of the Scottish Government as a response to the Covid-19 Restrictions put in place on certain businesses/sectors from Monday 2 November 2020.

On Saturday 26 December 2020 South Lanarkshire Council will move back into Level 4 of the Covid-19 protective measures , this is a move from Level 3 which we entered on Friday 11 December 2020. 

Top up grants

One off ‘Top up’ grants for hospitality, retail and leisure  

On 11 January the Scottish Government announced a ‘top up’ grant for eligible hospitality, retail and leisure businesses who are in receipt of the Strategic Framework Fund business grant.

If you have already applied for the Strategic Framework Fund and are eligible for the top up grant, you will automatically be credited with the top up grant. Most payments will be made to eligible businesses on or around Friday 5 February, the rest will be paid as soon as possible after this date. You do not require to apply for this grant.

To receive the top up grant you must have applied for the Strategic Framework Fund by Friday 5 February 2021 at the latest.

If you have not already submitted an application for the Strategic Framework Business Fund and think you may be eligible for a top up payment, you should apply via the Strategic Framework Business Fund page. To be considered for the top up payment you must apply to the Strategic Framework Fund by Friday 5 February 2021 and be eligible under the top up fund.

If we already have your Strategic Fund application, we will make the top-up payment as soon as possible.

Please note, that the Strategic Framework has not fundamentally changed and the following examples are not in scope for that fund:

  • Professional Services - including law firms, accountants, etc.
  • Motor Vehicle Repairs
  • Early Years Education - i.e. nurseries
  • Consultancy Services - including IT and marketing
  • Mobile Close Contact Services

Please note that if you have already applied for this fund you do not need to reapply as your first application will cover you as we move between levels.

This fund will be payable to eligible businesses every four weeks in arrears for the duration protective measures are in place. Where restrictions are extended beyond a four week period and South Lanarkshire Council remains at the same level of protection, a business does not need to re-apply and a grant will be automatically awarded for the next four week period.

As we move back into Level 4 of the protective measures eligible businesses can apply for the following fund:

  • Business Temporary Closure Fund - a grant of £2,000 or £3,000 (depending on rateable value) for business required to close by law, payable every four weeks in arrears to eligible businesses for the duration protective measures are in place

Businesses that can apply for the Business Temporary Closure Fund under Level 4 of the protective measures are:

  • Hospitality - restaurants, cafes, pubs, bars sports/social clubs
  • Leisure and entertainment - cinemas, arcades, soft play, funfairs, indoor bowling, theatres, comedy clubs, concert halls, sport stadiums, conference or exhibition centres, snooker/pool halls, casinos, bingo halls, nightclubs
  • Sport and exercise - indoor gyms, swimming pools, dance studios, exercise class/yoga studios
  • Accommodations - hotels, B&Bs, self-catering, caravan and camp sites
  • Close contact services (NOT Mobile) - hairdressers, beauticians, tailors
  • Visitor attractions
  • Non-essential retail (exclusions apply)

With regards to non-essential retail the following retailers are NOT eligible for this fund:

  • food retailers, including food markets, supermarkets, convenience stores and corner shops
  • food takeaways
  • off licenses and licensed shops selling alcohol (including breweries)
  • pharmacies (including non-dispensing pharmacies) and chemists
  • newsagents
  • building merchants and suppliers of products and tools used in building work and repairs
  • petrol stations
  • car repair and MOT services including supply of parts
  • bicycle shops
  • Sport and physical activity related workplaces – including outdoor sport facilities, golf courses, outdoor gyms, and those used for the purpose of professional sport.  Workplaces involved in facilitating outdoor non-contact exercise such as coaches and personal trainers.
  • taxi or vehicle hire businesses
  • banks, building societies, credit unions, short-term loan providers, savings clubs, cash points and undertakings which by way of business operate a currency exchange office, transmit money (or any representation of money) by any means or cash cheques which are made payable to customers
  • post offices
  • crematoriums, burial grounds and funeral directors
  • laundrettes and dry cleaners
  • dental services, opticians, audiology services, chiropody services, chiropractors, osteopaths and other medical or health services, including services relating to mental health, this does not include massage therapy and complementary alternative medicine providers
  • pet shops, suppliers of animal feed and bedding, veterinary practices, mobile vets, veterinary laboratories, wholesalers of vet medicines/supplies, pet crematoria, equestrian centres and other direct activities required  to prevent or treat animal suffering including grooming, exercising and general care including day care
  • agricultural supplies shops and agricultural markets
  • pest control
  • storage and distribution facilities, including delivery drop off or collection points, where the facilities are in the premises of a business included in this list
  • car parks
  • public toilets
  • waste including recycling and the collection, transportation, sorting, and treatment of waste
  • livestock markets or auctions
  • outdoor markets and outdoor car lots

While we are in Level 4 of the protective measures the Business Restrictions Fund will not be open for applications

Please note mobile close contact services e.g. hair/beauty, photography, tattooing and tailoring will be supported but NOT by either of these funds. More information on this will be published directly by the Scottish Government. Please do not contact us regarding this.

Level of award (every four weeks)
Rateable Value Business Temporary Closure Fund
Up to £51,000 £2,000
£51,001 and over £3,000

Where a business operates multiple premises it can apply for a grant for each premise which is eligible. The business must provide in the application form, details of all the properties for which it is applying for a grant and clearly indicate which property is the headquarters.

If you are submitting your application on or after 1 January 2021 you will make an application to South Lanarkshire Council for each eligible individual premises located in South Lanarkshire, regardless of where your business is headquartered.

Who cannot apply?

You cannot apply if your business:

  • type or sector is not specifically mentioned in the protection levels list 
  • has breached wider COVID-19 regulations/requirements prior to local restrictions
  • has connections to tax havens, as set out in the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Act 2020

We understand the Scottish Government are proposing to introduce further business support funding to be made available for businesses who are not eligible for the current support. However, the scope and process for this support has not been confirmed yet and we await further information.

When we have details of any new funds we will provide details and how to apply on our website.

Mobile close contact services

Please note mobile close contact services e.g. hair/beauty, photography, tattooing and tailoring will be supported but not by either of these funds. Further information regarding this will be published separately by the Scottish Government. Please do not contact us regarding this.

Before you apply

You will be asked to upload a maximum of 3 pieces of evidence on the application form which may take some time to gather together in the appropriate format. Please take some time to read through and collect these as the application does not allow you to save and return to complete it.

If any of these pieces of evidence are not clear when you upload them, this will delay your application as we will need to come back to you for more information.

We can accept jpegs and pdf files but we advise pdfs as the file size is smaller.

We require the following evidence in pdf format preferably:

  • Proof of Business Type: Only certain types of business are eligible, below are the types and what you will need you provide to evidence this:
     
    • Company (inc. Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations and Community Interest Companies): Certificate of Incorporation or Companies House/SCIO registration number.
    • Partnership: Partnership agreement or HMRC registration.
    • Sole Trader: HMRC registration, Self-assessment documents or valid business insurance document.
    • Trust: Constitution documents, HMRC registration or VAT registration document.

If you cannot provide documentary evidence of the relevant reference numbers a picture of the reference number (showing the number and what it refers to) will be acceptable

  • Most recent full business bank statement clearly showing account name, address, sort code and account number and most recent transactions. 
  • Evidence of a current lease or rental agreement. This is only required if your business does not pay Non-Domestic Rates directly to South Lanarkshire Council, but they are instead paid via your landlord
  • You will also be asked to provide the rateable value and rates reference number from the premises you are applying for. The rateable value can be found at the Scottish Assessors Association website. The Rates reference number will be the 14 digit numerical number shown on your rates bill as Account/Payment Reference Number or the 10 digit numerical number shown in the subject line of any email you have received from rates@southlanarkshire.gov.uk.  It is not the property reference number shown on the Scottish Assessors Association Website.

Once you have the information required together in pdf or jpeg format, you can apply online.

Please note we are dealing with a huge number of applications and will process and make payment as soon as possible. We understand your anxiety and would ask for patience, the team is working through applications as quickly as possible.