LocalCOVID-19 Restrictionsbusiness Supportgrant Grantsfunding (LRSG),schemes: Restart Grant, Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG): guidance for local authorities
ThisGuidance is guidance for local authorities on paying grants to support businesses during national lockdown periods and periods of local restrictions.
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- LRSG (Closed): applicable from 9 September to 5 November 2020
- LRSG (Open) Version 2: applicable from 2 December 2020 onwards
- LRSG (Open): applicable from 1 August to 5 November 2020
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Additional Restrictions Grant guidance updated: as Step 4 of the roadmap out of restrictions has been delayed for up to 4 weeks, we have updated the guidance to account for this and extended the spending allocation deadline to 30 July 2021.
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Payment deadlines have been extended for the following schemes: LRSG (Open), LRSG (Sector), LRSG (Closed), LRSG (Closed) Addendum, LRSG (Closed) Addendum: Tier 4, LRSG (Closed) Addendum: 5 January onwards (first 6-week payment only) and Closed Businesses Lockdown Payment. Further information has been provided on the subsidy transparency database. The Christmas Support Payment guidance has been withdrawn as the scheme is now closed and all grant funding has been allocated.
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Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG): scheme definitions added for 'spend' and 'validated attempt'.
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Added sample template for declaring subsidy allowances which can be sent out to businesses.
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Added new guidance on the Restart Grant and updated guidance on the Additional Restrictions Grant to include £425m top-up from 1 April 2021.
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Guidance document 'Business support package for January 2021 lockdown' updated with details of the next payment cycle covering the period 16 February to 31 March.
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The deadline for applications for the Christmas Support Payment for wet pubs has been extended to 28 February 2021.
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Business support package for the January 2021 lockdown: guidance for local authorities added.
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LRSG (Closed) Addendum: Tier 4 - applicable 19 December 2020 onwards published.
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Guidance amended to reflect UK’s updated state aid agreement with the EU Commission. First LRSG (Open) dates changed to cover 1 August to 5 November 2020.
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First published.
Documents
Details
These schemes, all delivered through local authorities, are to support local businesses during the national lockdown periods and periods of local restrictions. The guidance is for use by local authorities and sets out the eligibility criteria, operation and delivery details for each strand of the schemes.
Restart Grant
TheWe Restarthave Grantalso ispublished availableguidance from 1 April 2021 to support businesses in reopening safely as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted:on:
Applications
Available maygrant beschemes
Additional submittedRestrictions priorGrant to(ARG) 1(updated April16 2021.June 2021)
Support
The forAdditional businessesRestrictions duringGrant the(ARG) nationalprovides lockdownadditional periodfunding startingfor 5local Januaryauthorities 2021
Thesubject to national lockdown thator startedTier on3 5restrictions, Januaryto 2021support requires businesses tothat closehave inhad ordertheir totrade manageaffected by the spreadrestrictions. ofThis coronavirusincludes:
TwoEach oflocal theauthority funds,has the LRSGdiscretion (Closed)to Addendumestablish andbusiness thegrant Additionalschemes Restrictionsor Grant,other plusbusiness thesupport one-offas Closedbest Businessesfits Lockdowntheir Paymentarea.
Closed andgrant theschemes
The one-offfollowing Restartschemes Grant are availablenow toclosed supportand businessesall throughoutgrant thisfunding periodhas ofbeen national restrictions.allocated.
AdditionalRestart RestrictionsGrant
The Restart Grant (ARG)was (updatedavailable 17from March1 April 2021 to includesupport £425businesses millionin top-upreopening fromsafely 1as AprilCOVID-19 2021)
Therestrictions Additionalare Restrictionslifted:
Support affectedfor bybusinesses during the restrictions.national Thislockdown includes:
Two businessof rates
Eachthe localone-off authorityClosed hasBusinesses theLockdown discretionPayment toand establishthe businessone-off grantRestart schemesGrant orwere otheravailable businessto support asbusinesses bestthroughout fitsthis theirperiod area.of national restrictions.
Business support package for the January 2021 lockdown
ThisFurther provides further information on the support available during this period of national lockdown.
Other support for businesses during national lockdowns
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum: applicable 5 November to 2 December 2020
Businesses required to close due to national lockdown restrictions willreceived receive grants of up to £3,000 per 28-day period under the LRSG (Closed) Addendum, an extension of the LRSG (Closed) scheme.
Support for businesses during periods of local restrictions
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed)
LRSG (Closed) providesprovided grants to businesses in the highest band of local restrictions - Tier 3 - which havewere been required to close during periods of local restrictions.
There are 2 versions of this guidance depending on which period the funding application relatesrelated to:
Funding of up to £3,000 per 28-day period iswas available. During the period of national restrictions this grant iswas superseded by Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum.
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum: Tier 4
LRSG (Closed) Addendum: Tier 4 providesprovided grants to businesses in the highest band of local restrictions - Tier 4 - which havewere been required to close during periods of local restrictions.
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open)
Where local authorities havewere been subject to Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions, this grant allowsallowed local authorities to make discretionary payments to support businesses that were impacted by the restrictions, but not required to close.
There are 2 versions of this guidance depending on which period the funding application relatesrelated to:
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Sector)
LRSG (Sector) providesprovided grants of up to £3,000 per 28-day period to be made to businesses like nightclubs that were required to close on a national basis since 23 March 2020. It is possible that, as part of future efforts to control the spread of coronavirus, further business property types are closed on an England-wide basis. If so, these businesses will also be eligible for these grants once they have been closed for 14 days.
The LRSG (Sector) scheme iswas effective from 1 November 2020.
Christmas Support Payment for wet-led pubs (closed to applications)
The Christmas Support Payment grant provided funding for local authorities subject to Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions in December 2020 to pay one-off grants of £1,000 to wet-led pubs. These are pubs that predominantly serve alcohol rather than provide food and have been severely impacted over the festive season due to temporary local restrictions.
Sample declaration template for subsidy allowances
The sample subsidy allowances declaration template is for local authorities to send out to businesses.
Published 3 November 2020
Last updated 3130 MarchNovember 2021
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These schemes, all delivered through local authorities, are to support local businesses during the national lockdown periods and periods of local restrictions. The guidance is for use by local authorities and sets out the eligibility criteria, operation and delivery details for each strand of the schemes.
Restart Grant
TheWe Restarthave Grantalso ispublished availableguidance from 1 April 2021 to support businesses in reopening safely as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted:on:
Applications
Available maygrant beschemes
Additional submittedRestrictions priorGrant to(ARG) 1(updated April16 2021.June 2021)
Support
The forAdditional businessesRestrictions duringGrant the(ARG) nationalprovides lockdownadditional periodfunding startingfor 5local Januaryauthorities 2021
Thesubject to national lockdown thator startedTier on3 5restrictions, Januaryto 2021support requires businesses tothat closehave inhad ordertheir totrade manageaffected by the spreadrestrictions. ofThis coronavirusincludes:
TwoEach oflocal theauthority funds,has the LRSGdiscretion (Closed)to Addendumestablish andbusiness thegrant Additionalschemes Restrictionsor Grant,other plusbusiness thesupport one-offas Closedbest Businessesfits Lockdowntheir Paymentarea.
Closed andgrant theschemes
The one-offfollowing Restartschemes Grant are availablenow toclosed supportand businessesall throughoutgrant thisfunding periodhas ofbeen national restrictions.allocated.
AdditionalRestart RestrictionsGrant
The Restart Grant (ARG)was (updatedavailable 17from March1 April 2021 to includesupport £425businesses millionin top-upreopening fromsafely 1as AprilCOVID-19 2021)
Therestrictions Additionalare Restrictionslifted:
Support affectedfor bybusinesses during the restrictions.national Thislockdown includes:
Two businessof rates
Eachthe localone-off authorityClosed hasBusinesses theLockdown discretionPayment toand establishthe businessone-off grantRestart schemesGrant orwere otheravailable businessto support asbusinesses bestthroughout fitsthis theirperiod area.of national restrictions.
Business support package for the January 2021 lockdown
ThisFurther provides further information on the support available during this period of national lockdown.
Other support for businesses during national lockdowns
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum: applicable 5 November to 2 December 2020
Businesses required to close due to national lockdown restrictions willreceived receive grants of up to £3,000 per 28-day period under the LRSG (Closed) Addendum, an extension of the LRSG (Closed) scheme.
Support for businesses during periods of local restrictions
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed)
LRSG (Closed) providesprovided grants to businesses in the highest band of local restrictions - Tier 3 - which havewere been required to close during periods of local restrictions.
There are 2 versions of this guidance depending on which period the funding application relatesrelated to:
Funding of up to £3,000 per 28-day period iswas available. During the period of national restrictions this grant iswas superseded by Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum.
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum: Tier 4
LRSG (Closed) Addendum: Tier 4 providesprovided grants to businesses in the highest band of local restrictions - Tier 4 - which havewere been required to close during periods of local restrictions.
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open)
Where local authorities havewere been subject to Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions, this grant allowsallowed local authorities to make discretionary payments to support businesses that were impacted by the restrictions, but not required to close.
There are 2 versions of this guidance depending on which period the funding application relatesrelated to:
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Sector)
LRSG (Sector) providesprovided grants of up to £3,000 per 28-day period to be made to businesses like nightclubs that were required to close on a national basis since 23 March 2020. It is possible that, as part of future efforts to control the spread of coronavirus, further business property types are closed on an England-wide basis. If so, these businesses will also be eligible for these grants once they have been closed for 14 days.
The LRSG (Sector) scheme iswas effective from 1 November 2020.
Christmas Support Payment for wet-led pubs (closed to applications)
The Christmas Support Payment grant provided funding for local authorities subject to Tier 2 or Tier 3 restrictions in December 2020 to pay one-off grants of £1,000 to wet-led pubs. These are pubs that predominantly serve alcohol rather than provide food and have been severely impacted over the festive season due to temporary local restrictions.
Sample declaration template for subsidy allowances
The sample subsidy allowances declaration template is for local authorities to send out to businesses.
Last updated
Update history
2025-07-23 16:31
The guidance and annex templates have been updated to reflect changes to the debt recovery process for local authorities. Updates include revised recovery requirements, removal of outdated fraud reporting information, updated contact details, and changes to the data protection section.
2023-01-19 14:54
Debt recovery guidance updated: process clarified (but no changes), templates updated following feedback from local authorities. Annexes A and B templates are now available as Excel / Word documents.
2022-04-06 12:45
Assurance guidance updated to reflect the correct minimum assurance criteria for the LRSG (Open) scheme.
2021-12-30 15:49
We have added new guidance on a one-off grant funding scheme: the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant. We have revised the guidance on the Additional Restrictions Grant, and updated the Debt Recovery and Assurance guidance.
2021-11-30 15:55
We have published guidance on assurance and debt recovery, returning reclaimed grants and referring outstanding debts to the government.
2021-03-31 17:53
Added sample template for declaring subsidy allowances which can be sent out to businesses.
2021-03-17 19:30
Added new guidance on the Restart Grant and updated guidance on the Additional Restrictions Grant to include £425m top-up from 1 April 2021.
2021-03-04 17:05
All guidance documents updated: closing dates added; subsidy allowance guidelines amended; requirement for a business to have been trading before restrictions were announced in order to be eligible for funding has been clarified.
2021-02-22 16:55
Guidance document 'Business support package for January 2021 lockdown' updated with details of the next payment cycle covering the period 16 February to 31 March.
2021-02-01 17:31
The deadline for applications for the Christmas Support Payment for wet pubs has been extended to 28 February 2021.
2020-11-03 23:49
First published.