Scottish government opens Business Ventilation Fund for applications
By Rebecca Hitchon | 27 November 2021 | Movers & Shakers, News
The Scottish government’s Business Ventilation Fund has opened for applications. The fund will help small and medium-sized businesses improve ventilation and air quality on their premises to help reduce the spread of coronavirus, by allowing them to claim back costs to improve ventilation of up to £2,500.
To be eligible for funding, businesses must be a small or medium-sized enterprise, be in an eligible sector (find a list of eligible sectors here), have physical premises and pay non-domestic rates. Support will initially target high-risk settings where people come into close proximity, which beauty services like nails, make-up and hairdressing fall under.
It is free to apply for the fund, although businesses will be required to pay for the costs of improvements and then claim the costs, up to a maximum of £2,500 per eligible premise, back once verified receipts for work have been submitted and approved.
Examples of work to improve ventilation and air quality that could be claimed through the scheme include installation of carbon dioxide monitors, repairs to windows and vents, installation of air filters/purifiers and installation of monitoring equipment.
Businesses that have already completed improvements to their ventilation prior to the fund opening (23 November 2021) will not be eligible to claim costs back. However, they may be eligible for additional improvements depending on what the prior improvements involved.
The total funding packaging is worth £25 million and was announced by the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, in September 2021.
How to apply
To apply for funding, eligible businesses must complete this online self-assessment form and wait for advice on whether there is a need to improve ventilation.
If a need is identified, the business will be asked to provide further details about the work wished to be undertaken to improve ventilation. Once this is approved, receipts for work can be submitted and a payment can be made.
Applications are open until 31 March 2022 or when funds are exhausted – whichever occurs first.
You can find further information about the Business Ventilation Fund on the Scottish government website here.