RURAL RESETTLEMENT FUND

Self-EmploymentRelocation Grant

Application Form

GUIDELINES
The Rural Resettlement FundSelf-Employment Relocation Grant is a discretionary grant of up to £5,000, payable to self-employed people relocating to Argyll and Bute.
To be eligible for the self-employment relocation grant, you must be:
  • Already self-employed - You are expected to have been self-employed for at least one year. Accounts for the previous year, or other evidence of full time self-employment, must be provided to support the application.
  • Paying yourself at least the current Scottish Living Wage (currently £8.45 per hour).
  • Currently based out with Argyll and Bute - Evidence of your current address must be provided (bank statement, utility bill or Council Tax bill, less than 3 months old).
  • Relocating permanently to premises within the Argyll and Bute Council area–Your proposed addressor preferred location must be provided at time of application. Evidence of the lease/title/rent for the new premises will be required before any grant will be paid.
  • Able to demonstrate sustainable self-employment - A business plan and financial projections (cash flow forecast) must be provided to support the application.
  • Able to identify the relocation costs you are seeking support with–You will need to identify items and costs to be incurred in relocating. You must attach at least 2 quotes for each item costing £500 or more, or for cumulative cost per supplier of £500 or more. If 2quotes are not available, please give reasons why.
  • Not yet committed to your relocation or set-up costs - No retrospective costs can be applied for. Costs already committed to cannot be covered.
To be eligible for grant support, the expenditure must relate to:
  • Removal - Costs directly related to the relocation such as personal or business removal costs
  • Relocation - Costs directly related to establishing yourself as self-employed in the new location such as business premises refurbishment, rent, legal fees, business rates or Council taxand equipment related to your self-employment. Property purchase is not eligible for support.
All eligible applications will be assessed against the following criteria:
  • Additionality - The need for the grant assistance
  • Displacement - The potential impact on existing businesses in Argyll and Bute
  • Benefit to the economy of Argyll and Bute - The potential impact on the economy of Argyll and Bute (job creation, provision of essential services, support to key sectors or their supply chain, supporting communities, improving the quality of products/services
  • Credit check - A credit check will be undertaken. Registered bankrupts and those with bankruptcy proceedings pending against them are ineligible for the grant.

1. Your information
Business Name
Contact Name
Contact Position
Business Address
Postcode
Home Address
(if different to above)
Postcode / Date of Birth
Email
Telephone Number / Mobile Number
Structure
(eg sole trader, partnership, limited company)
Date Self-employment commenced
Number of Full Time Employees
(in addition to yourself) / Number of Part Time Employees
Name of any Partners
2 Business background
Please provide an overview of your self-employment
3. Relocation address
What is the proposed new address (if known) or preferred location?
Is the new address also your residential address?
4.Need for grant
Please outline the need for assistance/ benefit of the grant.
5. Relocation costs
Please outline the items and costs expected to be incurred in relocating.
You must attach at least 2quotes for each item costing £500 or more, or for cumulative costper supplier of £500 or more. / Item / Cost
6.Impact
Please outline the expected impact of your self-employment on the economy of Argyll and Bute(job creation, provision of essential services, support to key sectors or their supply chain, supporting communities, improving the quality of products/services)
Please outline the expected impact of your self-employment on existing businesses in Argyll and Bute.
Check List
Have you enclosed the following with your application?
Evidence of current address / Yes/No
Your last year’s accounts or other evidence of self-employment / Yes / No
Proof that you are paying yourself at least the current Scottish Living Wage (currently £8.45 per hour) / Yes / No
Your 12 month cashflow forecast / Yes / No
Your business plan / Yes / No
Proof of I.D. (eg, passport, driving licence, birth certificate) / Yes / No
Two quotes for each item costing £500 or more, or for cumulative cost per supplier of £500 or more / Yes / No

PLEASE READ ALL THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY AND SIGN THE DECLARATION BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
  • Any funding is awarded at the discretion of Argyll and Bute Council.
  • Applicants should be 18 years and over.
  • A credit check will be undertaken. Registered bankrupts and those with bankruptcy proceedings pending against them are ineligible for the grant.
  • Applications will only be considered where the application form is completed in full and accompanied by the requested supporting documentation, including regulatory requirements relevant to the business and evidence of all necessary permissions.
  • By accepting the grant, you agree to further monitoring of the progress of your business by Argyll and Bute Council. This will usually be in the form of a telephone call.
  • UK residents and those ‘granted leave to stay’ in the UK are eligible to apply for the grant. Evidence will be required, for example a passport or letter from the Home Office granting leave to stay.
  • Relevant immigration documents to evidence the applicant’s right to live and work in the UK are required for any non EU citizen.
  • Certain business types are not eligible to apply for the grant, including those involved in the sex industry, politics, religion, nude or semi-nude modelling or photography, multi-level marketing/pyramid selling, or any business that may bring Argyll and Bute Council into disrepute.
  • Franchise businesses must be ethical franchises and accredited by the British Franchise Association.
  • Businesses relocating to second homes in Argyll are not eligible for support.
  • The Council may be required to make any application for Council funding available for public scrutiny under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. The applicant should make the Council aware of any part of the application which may prejudice its interest if it were made public.
  • The Council reserves the right to use details of the project for publicity for the Rural Resettlement Fund and share information with any parties appointed to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of this funding.
  • Applications will not be considered from those who have been previously unsuccessful unless there is a significant change in circumstances and the reasons for rejection have been addressed.
  • Costs eligible for or receiving funding through other public bodies are ineligible
  • You must remain based in the Argyll and Bute Council area and actively self-employed for at least 12 months from the approval date. The Council reserves the right to recover the grant if you cease to trade or any of the conditions are broken within 12 months of receiving the grant.
  • The maximum amount payable for Self-Employment Relocation Grant is £5,000. Those awarded RRF support for self-employment are not eligible for RRF Personal/Household support or RRF Business support.
  • Payment of the grant will be made only against proof of expenditure.
  • Proof of payment will need to be provided as follows:
  • Original paid receipts or invoices for each item being claimed; and
  • Original bank statement or online banking statement showing payment for each item being claimed.
  • These will be stamped and returned to you.
  • Items purchased with cash and items with handwritten receipts are not eligible. Receipts must bear the name of the company providing the goods/service.
  • If eligible expenditure is less than £5,000, the lower cost will be paid.
  • No costs already committed to, or incurred, at date of approval will be eligible.
  • Only the costs specified in the approval letter can be claimed.
  • Any decision is final and no further correspondence will be entered in to.
  • The first claim can be submitted any time up to 12 months from date of approval. It must consist of a claim form, evidence of expenditure and any evidence of eligibility specified in the approval letter.
  • Subsequent claims can be made quarterly (no more than once every three months) and must also consist of a claim form, evidence of expenditure and any evidence of eligibility specified in the approval letter.
  • 75% of any eligible costs will be paid for each claim, with the remaining 25% held back until the applicant can provide evidence that they have been self- employed and based in Argyll and Bute for 12 months, paying themselves at or above the Scottish living wage.
  • The final claim must take place within 2 years of date of approval.

State Aid
There are European Community rules governing the assistance which individual member states may give to businesses, known as State Aid. Any Rural Resettlement Fund Business Grant paid to businesses operates under an element of the State Aid rules known as de minimis which allows member states to give small amounts of aid to businesses without notifying it to the European Commission in Brussels.
Under de minimis the maximum amount which can be given to any single business must not exceed €200,000 in the three year period prior to a grant being advanced. As the provider of this state aid Argyll and Bute Council must check that this limit is not exceeded when new aid is given.
If your business has received any other State Aid in the past three years it could be de minimis aid, notified aid (such as General Block Exemption Regulation) or a mixture of both. Argyll and Bute Council will need to check this to determine how much is de minimis and whether or not it will have any effect on the financial assistance you are applying for.
Please complete the table below listing any other State Aid received by your business in the past three years (or pending) and sign the declaration below. Argyll and Bute Council will then be able to check the de minimis position. If you have received no public sector support please enter “n/a”.
Date of Assistance / Provider / Title of Project or Scheme / Grant, Loan or other / Amount awarded £ / De minimis
Amount £

PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD ALL OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING THE DECLARATION OVERLEAF AND SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

DECLARATION
The applicant must sign this declaration.
“I confirm that I am not registered bankrupt with bankruptcy proceedings pending against me.
I hereby apply for the Rural Resettlement Fund Self-Employment Relocation Grant and declare that the information Ihave given on this application form is accurate and correct. I understand if false information is given I may be liable to prosecution.
I have received, read, understood and agree to abide by the Terms and Conditions, (including the Data Protection Provisions) in this application form.
I am aware that any costs committed to or incurred prior to the written approval of this application are ineligible.
I understand that original receipted invoices and original bank statements are required for any items subsequently claimed against an approved application.”
Name:______
Signature:______
Date:______
Data Protection Act
Argyll and Bute Council and Business Gateway will use the information you provide to keep you informedwith information on programmes, services and products we provide, as well as newsletters and information on seminars and training opportunities that may be of interest to you, and help with the development of the business. In order that we can do this we may pass your details to other service providers and agents who perform such services or functions on our behalf. If you do not wish to receive such information, please tick this box.
We may also pass your details to other Business Gateway partners who may be better suited to deal with your query or who we feel may be able to provide you with information or services which may be of use to you. If you do not wish your details to be passed on to these organisations, please tick this box

Return your completed signed application form and supporting documentation to:

Business Gateway, The Enterprise Centre, Kilmory, Lochgilphead, Argyll, PA31 8SH

Email:

Next steps

Once you have submitted your application form, a Council Officer will be in touch to arrange an interview. This can be face to face, by phone, or by Skype.

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