Small Business Rates Relief

TonyCusack1_

I agree we are a small charity who have to run our business as efficiently as possible to maximise our impact on the vulnerable people we support. I have tried to access this business rate refund and been told we were not eligible, which I find hard to take as we are loosing approximately 2k per week and will soon have to look at how we manage future projects once our reserves have been decimated. We are doing our best to continue supporting vulnerable people and this fund would be a God send to our organisation if we could access.

JohnMont

For small Charities this element of support will be lifesaving-whilst they can furlough some staff they can not furlough all or remove fixed costs of premises etc. fundraising ability is currently very difficult and we need all these smaller charities to be there for the individuals and communities they serve when life returns to what is liable to be a new normal.

DaveAhlquist

This is something we at Locality support and are pushing for as one of our recommendations and continuing lobbying along with national  charity and social enterprise umbrella bodies. The headline focus of our campaign has been emergency grant support (with some success but just a start) but have always been saying that small business grants should be available for organisations which receive Charity Rate Relief.

 

JulesSeb

As an infrastructure charity we have difficulty getting funding through the usual channels in normal circumstances.  We broker volunteers and help other charities to apply for funding we don't deliver front line services ourselves.  We are losing approx £6K per month in room hire so this grant would help tremendously.  While some of the building staff are eligible for furlough it is not enough to fully cover the losses.

FrazerRobson

So many small charities provide vital services to vulnerable people. At a time when they are most needed, many are struggling to survive. The £750 million recently announced by the Chancellor is a start but much more is needed. Charities across the board also need access to the Small Business Grant Fund. The Government must ensure now that this happens.

sharonburton

Charities should surely be able to benefit from this fund, they provide vital services to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in this country and are needed now more than ever before, it is essential we keep supporting them to ensure they are able to continue into the future.  This fund should definitely be made available to charities immediately.  

ForresterBrown

The government cannot forget the work that charities are carrying out during these difficult times, we are supporting people with mental health issues, fleeing domestic violence, accommodation and fear of the unknown, additionally our sources of charitable income have almost dried up as we are unable to carryout fundraising events. I support the campaign to include charities in the £10k business grant fund and the government should change the rules.

PaulineLM

A system of ongoing support for charities is obviously essential in the current situation. There will be an increasing and ongoing need for their input in the months to come.  

PriyaT

The current massive transformation in the perception of what’s deemed essential services/workers is well-overdue and welcomed but smaller and locally rooted charities seem to have yet again, been missed out in the government’s support for small businesses. So, please extend the Small Business Grant Fund to include the smaller and locally rooted charities, as this could provide them with a vital lifeline to be able to continue providing their much-needed services post the pandemic!

andrewmcneill

Sounds right to me