COVID-19 - Government support for businesses

In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Government announced significant support for businesses. For more information and to understand the best type of support for your business, visit the GOV.UK website: Find coronavirus financial support for your business

For additional advice or to make a free appointment with a local business advisor, visit the Swindon & Wiltshire Growth Hub.

For other business support, visit our business and investment section.

Business rates holiday for retail, hospitality, leisure and nurseries

Eligible business in these sectors will not have to pay business rates for the 2020-21 tax year.

Revised business rates bills have been issued to businesses we consider to be eligible. If you have not received a revised bill but believe you are entitled, please contact the business rates team on 0845 602 0146.

To be eligible for Retail, Leisure & Hospitality Business Rate Relief, all the following criteria must be satisfied:

• Businesses with a property located within Swindon Borough
• The property/properties that will benefit from the relief must be occupied and wholly or mainly being used as on of:
  • a shop, restaurant; café, drinking establishment, cinema or live music venue
  • a place for assembly and leisure
  • a hotel, guest or boarding premises or self-catering accommodation

To be eligible for Nursery Business Rate Relief, all the following criteria must be satisfied:

• Businesses with a property located within Swindon Borough
• The property/properties that will benefit from the relief must be:
  • occupied by providers of Ofsted’s Early Stage Years Register
  • wholly or mainly used for the provision of the Early Years Foundation Stage

Important information:

You should read the Privacy Notice before making an application to access funding.

We will carry out stringent checks on each application and any payment made in error will be recovered. Any business or person caught falsifying their application may face prosecution and any funding issued will be recovered.

Many scams are targeting businesses during COVID-19, including:

• malicious email attachments
• false government grant phone calls
• CEO impersonation scams

For example, a UK business owner reported a suspicious e-mail requesting re-submission of application details to receive the COVID-19 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure grant, pretending to be the ‘Director of Finance' (Section 151 Officer).

If you receive a suspicious e-mail or have any concerns about requests for information, you can contact our Corporate Fraud Team at reportfraud@swindon.gov.uk.

Grant payments are state aid and can be given under De Minimis Regulation. Applicants must make a state aid declaration when applying. You can read state aid guidance at the GOV.UK website. We recommend you read the guidance carefully.