Government supports - Northern Ireland

NI businesses with a Total Net Annual Value (NAV) of £15,000 and below, eligible for the Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) scheme or access Industrial Derating.
futu
Excluded from this are:

• vacant properties and
• MP and MLA Constituency offices

• Apply by 20 May for other eligible businesses
• Automatic for Direct Debit rate payers

To be eligible, your business must:

• be the sole tenant of a rental property where the landlord receives the rate bill
• be sole tenant of a rental property and the business receives the rate bill
• own the property that it occupies and the property has a Total NAV of £1,590 or below

• Businesses must have a Total Net Annual Value (NAV) of between £15,001 and £51,000 within the retail, hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors, subject to some exclusions
• Landlords, managing agents and small businesses who are sole tenants should not use the Business Grant Support online form to register for the scheme

• A new, fast-track finance scheme introduced to help smaller businesses impacted by COVID-19
• Intended to be a temporary response – initially open until 4 November 2020, with the Government retaining the right to extend this
• Designed to enable businesses to access finance quickly, so online applications can be expected to be assessed by their lender within a matter of days

Most businesses, regardless of turnover, which:

• meet the eligibility criteria and
• were established on or before 1 March 2020
• Click here for further clarification

• Between £2,000 and up to 25% of turnover
• Maximum loan available is £50,000

• Scheme will be available through the British Business Bank’s accredited lenders. A list of lenders is available here
• Businesses will be required to fill in a short online application form and self-declare that they are eligible for the Scheme
• The business must confirm to the lender that the loan will only be used to provide an economic benefit to the business – for example, providing working capital and not for personal purposes
• For some businesses who self-declare as being a “business in difficulty” on 31 December 2019, there may be restrictions on the amount of finance they are allowed to borrow and what they can do with the loan (e.g. a loan under the Scheme is not permitted to be used for export-related activities)

• Repayment term is fixed at six years
• No repayments will be due during the first 12 months
• Businesses remain 100% liable to repay the full loan amount, as well as interest, after the first year

• 2.5% per annum
• The Government will cover any interest payable in the first 12 months through a Business Interruption Payment to the lender
• Lenders will benefit from a 100% government-backed guarantee
• Lenders are not permitted to charge any fees

NI Business Info

Gov.uk

Viable businesses are:

• based in the UK
• with an annual turnover of over £45 million
• adversely impacted by coronavirus and
• not in receipt of a facility under the Bank of England’s COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility

Not eligible are:

• credit institutions, insurers and reinsurers (but not insurance brokers); • building societies
• public-sector bodies and
• state-funded primary and secondary schools

• up to £25 million to businesses with turnover from £45 million up to £250 million
• up to £50 million to businesses for those with a turnover of over £250 million (as of 19 May, this amount has been extended from £50m to £200m, but with restrictions placed on dividend and bonus payments by borrowers. The expanded loans will be available from 26 May)
• From 30 July businesses in this category and which have fewer than 50 employees and a turnover of less than £9m can apply.

•  The scheme is available through a series of accredited lenders, which are listed on the British Business Bank website
• Under the scheme, personal guarantees of any form will not be taken for facilities below £250,000
• For facilities above £250,000, personal guarantees may still be required, but claims cannot exceed 20% of losses after all other recoveries have been applied
• The borrower remains fully liable for the debt.
• Applications will not be limited to businesses that have been refused a loan on commercial terms extending the number who benefit.
• The Treasury has not capped the interest rates banks can charge.
• The scheme is now available with 22 participating lenders.

Finance is available in the form of:

• term loans
• revolving credit facilities (including overdrafts)
• invoice finance and
• asset finance

The government will provide lenders with an 80% guarantee on individual loans

NI Business Info

Gov.uk

To be eligible, your application must be for businesses purposes and your business must generate more than 50% of its turnover from trading activity. Your business must be based in the UK with an annual turnover of up to £45 million. (As of July 2020, UK companies who have participated in highly selective accelerator programmes and were required, as part of that programme, to have parent companies outside of the UK will now be able to apply for investment. Accelerator programmes, such as TechStars or Y-Combinator, give businesses access to finance, mentorship and expert networks.)

Excluded applicants include: 

• Banks, insurers and reinsurers (but not insurance brokers)
• Public-sector bodies and
• State-funded primary and secondary schools

You need to show that your business: 

• Would be viable were it not for the pandemic and 
• Has been adversely impacted by the Coronavirus

• The government guarantees 80% of the finance to the lender and pays interest and any fees for the first 12 months
• If you want to borrow £30,000 or more, you also need to confirm that your business wasn't classed as a business in difficulty on 31 December 2019
• Applicants must approach lenders themselves
• The scheme is open for applications until the end of September 2020.

• Deferred Self-Assessment payment is an automatic offer. You do not need to apply
• No penalties or interest for late payment will be charged in the deferral period 
• HMRC has also scaled up its ‘Time To Pay’ arrangement, which is a method of spreading your business tax payments over a longer period in a more affordable way. It is available to all firms and individuals who are in temporary financial distress as a result of COVID-19 and have outstanding tax liabilities

The Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme will repay employers the current rate of SSP that they pay to current or former employees for periods of sickness starting on or after 13 March 2020.  

The repayment will cover up to two weeks starting from the first day of sickness if an employee is unable to work because they either: 

• Have Coronavirus
• Cannot work because they are self-isolating at home

Employees do not have to give you a doctor’s fit note for you to make a claim.

NOTE: The online service you’ll use to reclaim SSP is not available yet. HMRC will announce when the service is available and the guidance at the link below will be updated. 

• Employers 
• Connected companies and charities can also use the scheme if their total combined number of PAYE employees are fewer than 250 on or before 28 February 2020

The scheme can be used by employers if they: 

• Are claiming for an employee who’s eligible for sick pay due to Coronavirus
• Had a PAYE payroll scheme that was created and started on or before 28 February 2020
• Had fewer than 250 employees on 28 February 2020

The scheme covers all types of employment contracts, including: 

• Full-time employees

• Part-time employees
• Employees on agency contracts and 
• Employees on flexible or zero-hour contracts

You must keep records of all the statutory sick payments that you want to claim from HMRC, including: 

• The reason why an employee could not work
• Details of each period when an employee could not work, including start and end dates
• Details of the SSP qualifying days when an employee could not work and 
• National Insurance numbers of all employees who you have paid SSP to

You will have to keep these records for at least three years following your claim

To help Northern Ireland based micro-businesses and social enterprises unable to access other regional and national COVID-19 support measures.

• The business must be based in Northern Ireland.

• At 29 February 2020, the business must have employed between one and nine employees paid via PAYE except where the sole employee is the business owner or company director.  The number of employees will be based on headcount. 
• Since 1 March 2020, the business must have experienced a reduction in turnover in excess of 40% as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic or associated Government restrictions.

The Department for the Economy (DfE) will make up to £40 million available through a fund, which is being administered by Invest Northern Ireland.

The NI Micro-business Hardship Fund is open to all micro-business and social enterprises excluding the following:

• Primary agricultural producers i.e. those primarily concerned with crop or animal production or forestry or logging or fisheries or aquaculture.  However, agricultural businesses associated with the processing, marketing and retail of agricultural products can apply to the fund.
• Businesses eligible for the following NI Executive schemes:
• £10,000 Small Business Support Grant Scheme
• £10,000 Small Business Grant for rental properties and Total NAV of £1,590 or below
• £25,000 Retail, Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Grant
• COVID-19 Childcare Support Scheme
• Charities or social enterprises with charitable status.
• Social enterprises that receive less than 60% of revenue from trade in goods and/or services.

• Businesses should note that other non-repayable Government grants related to COVID-19 will be taken into account and will be deducted, where applicable, from the final grant awarded.
• Only one grant will be paid to each eligible business, irrespective of how many properties the business occupies.
• It was announced on Friday, 15 May that the NI Micro-business Hardship Fund will open for online applications within seven days. An online eligibility checker will be available week commencing 18 May.
• Guidance around other conditions will be made available when the fund launches.
• You do not have to be VAT registered to apply.

The new scheme, developed with independent analysis from the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre, will see the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic pay no rates for the full financial year up until 31 March 2021.

The rates-support packages will also see all businesses receive a one-month extension of the rates holiday up to 31 July 2020.

• hospitality, tourism and leisure
• retail (excluding certain supermarkets and off-licences)
• childcare
• Belfast City Airport, Belfast International Airport and City of Derry.

• 100% Relief for Hospitality, Tourism, Leisure and Retail properties (with the exception of retail food stores over 300m² and off-licences) to 31 March 2021 - £175m
• Continue existing 100% business rates holiday for all properties for a further 1 month to end of July (excluding public sector and utilities) - £34.5m
• 100% rates relief for Belfast International, Belfast City & City of Derry until 31 March 2021 - £2.2m
• Provide 100% rates relief for Childcare Establishments until 31 March 2021 - £1.4m

• Extending relief must be linked to the policy to lift restrictions – if restrictions are lifted across some sectors (to allow viable trading), the argument for relief for those sectors is not as strong as for sectors where restrictions may remain quite severe.
• Providing targeted support – all parts of the economy have been impacted by this crisis, hence the broad nature of the initial rates relief package.  However, some sectors have been impacted more significantly and given the wide range of calls on public funding, there is a rationale that any further relief should be more targeted.

• manufacturing or tradeable service business
• registered in either NI or ROI
• engaged in cross-border trade
• fewer than 250 employees
• annual turnover of less than £40million (or Euro Equivalent)

Not eligible

• Businesses involved in retail, distribution and agriculture are not eligible for assistance under this scheme.

• All applications are assessed against the eligibility criteria.
• Sufficient detail must be provided in the application to allow for assessment (where limited detail is provided, your application is likely to be unsuccessful).
• Priority will be given to businesses who best meet eligibility criteria and have clearly identified how this support will assist the business during this COVID-19 emergency period.
• Applicants must have a satisfactory trading history (min. 18 months & established turnover)
• Applicants must have the capacity to deliver the project

• Funding is provided under the European Commission Regulation on De Minimis Aid as stated in the application for Emergency Business Solutions.
• Business must provide InterTrade Ireland with details of all other De Minimis aid which has been granted to the business within the past three years.
• A false declaration by a business resulting in the threshold of €200,000 (or sterling equivalent) being exceeded could later give rise to the aid being recovered with interest.
• Applications can be made online as early as possible as there is limited availability.

• manufacturing or tradeable service business
• registered in either NI or ROI
• engaged in cross-border trade
• fewer than 250 employees
• annual turnover of less than £40million (or Euro Equivalent)

Not eligible

• Businesses involved in retail, distribution and agriculture

• Have a satisfactory trading history (min. 18 months & established turnover)
• Have the capacity to deliver the project 

• The funding is provided under the European Commission Regulation on De Minimis Aid as stated in the application for E-Merge.
• The business must provide InterTradeIreland with details of all other De Minimis aid which has been granted to the business within the past three years.
• It should be noted that a false declaration by a business resulting in the threshold of €200,000 (or Sterling equivalent) exceeded could later give rise to the aid being recovered with interest.
• Applications should be made online as early as possible as there is limited availability.

• The Future Fund is open to UK-based firms, that have previously raised at least £250,000 in equity investment from third parties in the last 5 years.
• They will also need to have investors to provide funding to be matched by the government and have half or more of their employees based in the UK or generate at least half of their revenue through UK sales.

• UK-based companies can now apply for a convertible loan of between £125,000 and £5 million, to support continued growth and innovation in sectors as diverse as technology, life sciences and the creative industries.
• The government has made an initial £250 million available for investment through the scheme and will consider increasing this if needed.

• Companies can check they meet the criteria for funding by going to the British Business Bank website. If they have secured private match funding, one of their investors can register online to start the application process.

Organisations with a charitable purpose and charitable activities, which had income of £1million or less in their last financial year.

This includes:

• UK registered charities (registered with Charity Commission, Scottish Charity Regulator or Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, or as shown in the Charities Act 2010)
• Organisations registered with Companies House or the Public Mutuals Register, as a charitable or not-for-profit entity, e.g. Community Interest Companies, Companies Limited by Guarantee and others 
• Unregistered entities and social enterprises.

• It is possible that not all grants will be made at the full amount. Charities should apply for an amount that will make a suitable difference to the size and activities of their organisation.
• Organisations can apply for unrestricted funding for core costs, staffing, volunteer costs, supplies and equipment, communications or other critical charitable areas. 
• You must be able to describe how an emergency grant will improve the situation for your organisation and community.  
• Only one application should be made; multiple applications will slow the process down and only one grant is possible for any organisation.
• It is important to remember that this is intended as an emergency fund to enable charitable activities to continue at the moment in whatever way is needed; it is not designed to replace other lost income in the longer term.

• Individuals, or groups of individuals who have come together recently to provide informal support services to their communities
• Any organisation applying more than once.

• It is anticipated that there will be a high level of requests for support. CAF will do their best to manage this proactively and provide a rapid response to organisations which need support. However, they are going to have to prioritise grants.

• It is intended to be a rapid response fund and systems are in place to be able to review applications on a continuing basis.
• If your organisation is not a registered charity, it is possible that further checks will need to be made and, if so, it may take slightly longer.
• Grants aim to be paid to selected organisations within 14 days of application.

• Organisations with an income of less than £2 million per annum.
• Applications are only open to charities whose beneficiaries are not based in London.

Total fund of £300,000 with capital grants of up to £5,000 each.

• Work of the applicant organisation must fall within the nine programme areas
• Organisations that promote a particular religion or that only provide services to people of a particular religion will not be supported.
• Organisations must demonstrate their not-for-profit status in the application form and accounts.
• Capital grants awarded but not equal to more than 50% of your annual income.

• Aim for a decision to be communicated within one week but it may take up to two weeks.
• Capital projects that are planned as part of an organisation's ordinary course of business are not eligible.

• NI registered.
• ·normally be active during the period March to May.
• have had fish landings of at least £10,000 in 2019.
• be under 28 metres long.
• be available to fish.

• The assistance will be for three months with a maximum amount of total funding per ‘undertaking’ capped at around £104,000. 
• It will be delivered via monthly payments varying with vessel size.

Government departments are working at pace to identify priority recipients, but current eligible organisations are:

• Charities providing key services and supporting vulnerable people.
• Small and medium sized charities supporting those organisations at the heart of local communities.

• £370m for frontline charities, including hospices and domestic-abuse charities
• £360m provided for smaller charities, administered by the National Lottery Community Fund.
• A minimum of £20m in matched donations as part of the BBC’s Big Night In fundraising event.

To support community groups working together, particularly in smaller geographical communities.

The current focus is to support groups and organisations working with the following communities and issues that are affected by coronavirus:

• Older people (aged over 50) 
• Those at increased risk, particularly in relation to poor mental health and wellbeing   
• Vulnerable isolated people and families, particularly those living in rural areas, families where a parent/ both parents have lost their employment or where children are living in poverty
• Children and young people’s projects, particularly focusing on the voice of young people and connecting through creative mediums
• Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities.

• It is anticipated those organisations who are providing small scale emergency support will require funding of around £1,000 to £2,500. 
• Those supporting need on a longer-term basis, and/or who are significantly enhancing their services at this time, may require grants of up to £10,000.

The Foundation will prioritise:

• Initiatives that directly support those most at risk as a result of the threat of coronavirus, and clearly evidence the need for support.
• Organisations with income levels of below £1 million per annum.
• Running costs for organisations to provide such support, including volunteer expenses, staff costs, and transport, providing the organisation is focusing their attention on providing support to both existing, and any potential new beneficiaries.
• Small capital costs are eligible, providing the capital item will address the priorities of the fund, and is linked to keeping the older person connected to the outside world.

• As a temporary measure to help you submit your application and get help quickly you must submit a signed policy statement showing your intention to keep adults and children safe in the activities that you are proposing.
• A signed copy of the guidelines that you will issue to volunteers is requested to show that they have been informed of good practice around how they will conduct themselves including how they will report concerns.
• The Fund opened on 16 March 2020 and will remain open on a rolling-call basis.  A high level of interest is expected and depending on current funding available, and any future funds raised, it may close for applications within a relatively short space of time, if there are not enough funds to meet the demand for support.

The scheme is open to small businesses and expert advisers throughout the UK.

Each adviser has offered at least one hour of free advice a month until the end of 2020, which could deliver a lifeline to thousands of SMEs looking for support.

• Participating businesses will be directed to the scheme on the Enterprise Nation platform via the GOV.UK website and other business support channels.
• Businesses will then be asked questions on the ‘Make a Plan’ diagnostic tool. This will allow Enterprise Nation to assess and identify both the level and specific areas of support needed.
• They will then be directed to a personalised dashboard where they will receive a detailed action plan which will include links to suggested tailored advice and relevant professional advisers willing to help.

• Currently funded project participants in an Innovate UK award.
• SMEs and third sector organisations.
• Undertakings that find themselves facing a sudden shortage or even unavailability of funding resulting directly from the COVID-19 pandemic
• Organisations that were not an undertaking in difficulty as of 31 December 2019 or, for micro and small companies only, even if they were already in financial difficulty on 31 December 2019 unless they are in insolvency proceedings, have received rescue aid that has not been repaid, or are subject to a restructuring plan under State aid rules. 

• Loans are for organisations that find themselves facing a sudden shortage or even unavailability of funds resulting directly from the COVID-19 pandemic. This innovation continuity loan may be suitable if you need funding of between £250,000 and £1,600,000.
• Only single businesses can receive the loan, so each participant in a consortium funded through collaborative R&D must apply separately. Innovate UK will make a lending decision based on the viability of the project as a whole as well as on the suitability of the applicant for a loan. 

• Applicants will not be able to receive both an Innovate UK continuity grant and a continuity loan in relation to the same project. Funding will not be given to support furloughed staff or where the project will not be continued or where necessary, completed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The competition opened on the 7 May 2020 and will remain open for applications until funds are fully committed or 31 December, whichever is the earlier.

• To help sustain individuals and organisations and enable them to better respond to the new circumstances and to provide much needed breathing space for those working in the field of arts and culture.
• The support package will build on the initial emergency package launched on 27 April that was heavily oversubscribed and it will give priority to those who have lost opportunities to use their skills.                                                                                      

• The fund for individuals will open from 31 July until 17 August.
• The organisational strand will reopen for new applications from small and medium sized organisations in August  

https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/news/minister-announces-reopening-creative-support-fund

• To help organisations and communities to respond better, addressing new needs appearing as a result of the Coronavirus and where restrictions mean finding new ways of meeting existing needs.
• To help organisations and communities to build back better, helping to ensure organisations can thrive and continue to provide longer-term support to communities. 

• Constituted organisations with charitable purposes operating within Northern Ireland
• Organisations whose income is £1 million or below
• Organisations who have applied to the Coronavirus Community Fund are eligible to apply for financial support, providing this is for a new project in line with the New Needs fund criteria
• Grassroots organisations working within their local community in particular to support the following beneficiaries:

• Children and young people, in particular young women and girls
• Older people
• People with disabilities
• People with poor mental health
• Black, Asian and ethnic minorities
• Rurally isolated people
• People in poverty
• Persons in institutions such as care homes (children in care, older people in care) rehabilitation centres
• LGBTQ+ community
• Anyone identified as discriminated and excluded; particularly when it comes to practice and policy                   

The Foundation will prioritise:

• Initiatives that empower and connect community-based organisations
• Initiatives that have a clear social impact
• Initiatives that involve those with lived experience

• The Community Foundation will not fund organisations or activities which promote causes that are contrary to our purposes. Causes and activities that are contrary to our purposes include, but may not be limited to, those outlined in our investment policy.  We will not therefore fund organisations or activities which we determine are linked to the promotion of armaments, alcohol, human rights abuses, tobacco or pornography.
• The Fund will close for applications on Friday 28th August 2020 but will be assessed on a rolling call basis.  With significant demand anticipate, the fund may close for applications sooner than planned.  Groups are therefore encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Grant funding for projects supporting the recovery and growth of foundation industries.  To ensure that these sectors remain internationally competitive and are ready to meet the government commitment of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Projects must demonstrate how they address resource or energy efficiency of foundation industries and support resilience and sustainability of the sector and its supply chains. Applicants can include techno-economic assessment of new products, services and business models and must:

• help the UK’s foundation industries remain globally competitive and become more environmentally sustainable
• indicate how the innovation helps meet the needs of business and/or industry as it emerges from Covid-19 pandemic and aids rapid recovery
• demonstrate that the business has the capability to deliver the project
  We are looking to fund a portfolio of projects, across a variety of technologies, markets, sectors, technological maturities and research categories.

Projects can focus on one or more of the following areas:

• establishing long-term viability of domestic supply chains
• new markets
• new business models
• new products and services
• new processes

• The competition is open and the deadline for applications is at 11am on 4 November 2020
• UK businesses of any size and research and technology organisations may apply
• Total eligible costs must be between £100,000 and £1 million

https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/684/overview?_ga=2.18795517.530830108.1596721527-1183024214.1596721527#summary

• You must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form. The information you provide on the EOI form will be used to check that both the business and project are eligible.
• If invited to submit a full application, you will have to provide more information that will allow further assessment of your project and your business. 

• Funding for grants under this pilot scheme is limited and must be spent in the current financial year ending on 31 March 2021.
• Your grant application will be in competition with others for the available funding and your application may not be successful.

Tourism NI – New Experience Development Programme                                                 

The amount of financial assistance available under this programme is between £5,000 and £200,000. Tourism NI financial assistance will not exceed:

• 80% of eligible project costs for private sector and voluntary/community sector applicants

There are two steps to the application process: 

• Step 1: ‘Expression of Interest’ form to be submitted no later than 14 September 2020 at 3pm. This will check your project’s eligibility against the Minimum Eligibility Criteria as outlined in the Programme Guidelines.

  You are encouraged to submit your Expression of Interest as soon as possible to ensure that where eligible you can proceed to the full application stage.

• Step 2: full application form. The closing date for applications is 3pm on 25 September 2020, applications cannot be submitted after this time.   

• The programme is limited in terms of budget to support capital investment.
• Sufficient expenditure must be incurred by 31 March 2021 to allow draw down of the full grant.
• It is expected that you and your appointed contractors/suppliers will liaise closely with Tourism NI and their consultants during implementation.
• Following implementation of the project, Tourism NI will seek necessary assurances that the work has been undertaken appropriately.
• Applicants from Voluntary / Community sector will be required to have a Charity No. as evidence that they qualify for this status.

To help early-stage high-growth-potential businesses in Northern Ireland access financing to progress their business plans and prepare for recovery and growth.

• The majority of your business operation is based in Northern Ireland.
• Your business is an unlisted small and medium-sized business (SME) operating in a market for less than seven years following the first commercial sale.
• Your business was not in financial difficulty or subject to insolvency procedures at 31 December 2019, but has been adversely impacted by COVID-19, including in its ability to raise financing.
• You can quantify the impact which the CEIF support will have on your business, such as for research and development into new products and/or helping you access new sales and marketing opportunities.
• You can demonstrate your business has innovative technology, a significant international market opportunity, export growth prospects, credible promoters and a scalable business model.
• You can demonstrate how the funding will increase the value of your business and outline potential exit opportunities.
• You have already sourced investment from other investors but still have a shortfall in what you need to achieve your business plan.

• £5 million in total.
• The Fund will provide matching equity investment or convertible loan notes of up to a maximum of £700,000 for technology and innovative businesses.

• Applications for CEIF opened on Wednesday 9 September.
• All legal documentation must be completed by 12 noon on 31 December 2020

• Your business operation is based in Northern Ireland.
• You are a small or medium-sized business employing 10 or more full-time equivalent staff in Northern Ireland.
• Your business has an existing online presence such as a business website or social media channels.
• Your business has a physical product, or a range of physical products, that can be sold online and shipped to customers.
• In the past 12 months, more than 50 percent of your revenue has come from offline sales instead of online sales.
• Your project is not receiving any other public funding such as government or European Union funding.
• You are able to deliver your project, pay the costs in full and submit your claim to Invest NI before 26 March 2021.

• £1million in total.
• A maximum grant of £20,000 to eligible small and medium-sized retailers to support 50 percent of eligible costs. 

• DSCG is now open to applications
• You can use the online eligibility checker to find out if you can apply for the Grant.
• Projects must have a minimum eligible expenditure of £10,000.

• Your project will be assessed based on the information you provide in your application form and must be submitted before the closing deadline of 6pm on Wednesday 7 October 2020.

• Your application will first be checked against the DSCG eligibility criteria. If eligible, an Invest NI Assessment Panel will then evaluate your application.
• Funding will be awarded to applicants that have achieved the minimum score of 60 until the available £1 million budget is fully allocated, ranked in order of the highest to lowest score.

• To promote greater collaboration between employers and suppliers, whilst maintaining the employers’ role at the centre of the apprenticeship system and creating room for the Department for the Economy (DfE) to take a more creative and innovative approach to solving problems.
• To provide a short to medium-term benefit, and assist with mitigation of the impact of COVID-19 on the skills pipeline by expanding apprenticeship provision into new sectors, places, or types of employer.                                      

• DfE will assess the outcomes and benefits of successful proposals and consider how they can support DfE’s strategic objective to increase participation in the apprenticeship system in the longer term.
• Funding will be via a grant to successful applicants following a competitive assessment process.
• Eligible costs will be identified in a Letter of Offer to successful applicants, but could typically include staff costs, the costs involved in collaboration/engagement, marketing, etc.

The total amount payable under the scheme will be a maximum of £3,700 per apprentice, distributed as follows:

• Return - £500 per returned furloughed apprentice payable for the first full month of paid apprenticeship from 1 November 2020.
• Retain – maximum of £2,000 available: £500 per month for up to 4 months of paid apprenticeship between 1 December 2020 and 31 March 2021.
• Result - £1,200 for successful full framework achievement of a returned furloughed apprentice.

It is important that you retain evidence of when:

• your apprentice was furloughed
• your apprentice returned and was retained, in paid employment during the period claimed, this can be up to the total period of 5 months (1 month return and up to 4 months retained) and,

• ·new apprentices; and

• apprentices who have been made redundant due to financial difficulties during COVID-19.                                                                                           

• A total fund of £12 million
• £3,000 for each new apprenticeship created.

      Payment 1 - £2,000 after 90 days’ retention

      Payment 2 - £1,000 after 200 days’ retention from first employment