The Support for Small Accommodation Providers Paying Council Tax Fund (SAP-CTF) is to support small accommodation providers in Scotland that pay council tax, including B&Bs, guest houses and self-catering properties, and which have been impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions.
What support is available?
Eligible businesses will receive a one-off grant the equivalent of £2,000, every 4 weeks. Payments will be backdated to the start of January 2021, to cover the Level 4 restrictions which apply from 26 December 2020 lockdown period for the duration of level 4 restrictions, and no later than 31 March 2021. This grant is not retrospectively backdated to 2 November 2020.
How to apply?
All B&Bs, self-catering businesses and guest houses that were previously supported by either the Bed and Breakfast Hardship Fund or the Creative, Tourism and Hospitality Hardship Fund are automatically eligible for support under this scheme. These businesses will be contacted directly by Aberdeen City Council to register for support.
Applications will open for new entrants to the fund on 15 March 2021 for all local authority areas. The fund will be open for one week, and will close to applications on 22 March 2021.
Payments will be made as soon as possible.
This scheme closed to new applications on 22nd March 2021, please refer to the Support for Business regarding other assistance which may be available.
Am I eligible?
This fund if for small accommodation providers in Scotland, including B&BS, guest houses and self-catering business.
All B&Bs, self-catering businesses and guest houses that were previously supported by either the Bed and Breakfast Hardship Fund or the Creative, Tourism and Hospitality Hardship Fund are automatically eligible for support under this scheme. These businesses will be contacted by the local authority and invited to register for payment.
B&Bs, self-catering businesses and guest houses that have not previously been supported are also eligible to apply to this fund.
New entrants to the fund will need to meet the following eligibility criteria.
For B&Bs and guest houses, the business will need to:
- Confirm that the business premises operate as a guesthouse, bed & breakfast, or similar small-serviced accommodation (see fund guidance for definition)
- Confirm that the applicant/business pays council tax
- Confirm that your business receipts represent a primary source of income (one third or more of earnings)
- Confirm that you can provide evidence of active trading up to March 2020 and had intended to continue trading in the tax year 2020-21
- Confirm that you are not currently in receipt of COVID-19 related business grant support through the Strategic Framework Business Fund for the premises
- Provide evidence of business insurance
- Provide evidence of membership, accreditation, registration or listing with a recognised hospitality or tourism agency, representative body or marketing organisation, either national or local (for example, VisitScotland, Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, SBBA, your local destination marketing organisation, AA, Quality in Tourism, etc). Online booking platform listing alone is not accepted as evidence.
For self-catering businesses, the business will need to:
- Confirm that the business meets the definition of a self-catering property as defined in The Council Tax (Dwellings and Part Residential Subjects) (Scotland) Regulations 1992[1]
- Confirm that the applicant/business pays council tax
- Confirm that your business receipts represent a primary source of income (one third or more of earnings)
- Provide auditable data to support one of the following statements:
a) My property was occupied for more than 140 days in financial year 2019-20, or
b) Due to a poor trading season my property was not occupied for 140 days in the financial year 2019-20 but was occupied for more than 140 days in either of the 2 financial years preceding
- Confirm that you are not currently in receipt of COVID-19 related business grant support through the Strategic Framework Business Fund for the premises
- Provide evidence of business insurance
- Provide evidence of membership, accreditation, registration or listing with a recognised hospitality or tourism agency, representative body or marketing organisation, either national or local (for example, VisitScotland, Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, your local destination marketing organisation, AA, Quality in Tourism, etc). Online booking platform listing alone is not accepted as evidence.
Contact Us
businessgrowthteam@aberdeencity.gov.uk