Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF)

This scheme is now closed for applications.

The Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) of £1.5 billion was created to support businesses affected by the pandemic but that were ineligible for existing support linked to business rates.

The £1.5 billion has been allocated to local authorities based upon the estimated rateable value in each local authority rating list which falls within the scope of the fund.

The relief is available to reduce chargeable amounts in respect of 2021/22 Business Rates bills only.

The Council must:

• Not award relief to ratepayers who for the same period of the relief either are or would have been eligible for the Extended Retail Discount (Covering Retail, Hospitality and Leisure), the Nursery Discount or the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme (AGOSS)
• Not award relief to a hereditament for a period when it is unoccupied (Other than hereditaments which have become closed temporarily due to the government’s advice on Covid-19, which should be treated as occupied for the purposes of this relief)
• Direct their support towards ratepayers who have been adversely affected by the pandemic and have been unable to adequately adapt to that impact.

The Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund Policy sets out the full details of the scheme and those businesses that may be eligible to receive relief:

CARF Policy (Word Document, 20.54 Kb)

The scheme was open for applications from 13 July 2022 to 21 August 2022, with successful applicants notified after 28 August 2022.