The BEE scheme offers support to help businesses reduce their energy use, which will reduce business energy costs and reduce the carbon footprint of businesses.
The scheme can help businesses to:
- Access fully funded energy use audits
- Access grant funding towards the purchase of equipment to reduce their energy use
To apply, please download and complete the Stage 1 Application Form and return by email to businessgrants@southribble.gov.uk
Who is eligible
The BEE scheme is open to businesses based and operating in South Ribble.
To ensure as many businesses as possible can be assisted, only one application is permitted per business/applicant/premises.
The energy audits and grants are available for commercial premises in South Ribble, which are exclusively used for business (registered with Valuation Office Agency (VOA) for business rates). Only occupied commercial premises qualify (not empty premises).
Applicant businesses must be active and trading as usual. Businesses that are dormant, in liquidation, dissolved, or subject to a striking-off notice are not eligible.
Fully funded energy audits* are available for eligible businesses. Businesses are able to source or commission their own energy audit if they wish. Energy audits must be carried out by an accredited consultant (with appropriate delivery/qualifications/expertise, for example, membership of Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment) and the audit reports must identify the energy use / carbon reduction, which the specified equipment will deliver. This is to ensure that the grants deliver measurable carbon reduction and that the equipment will deliver energy cost reduction for the business.
The Energy Saving Grant can only be used to fund capital expenditure on specified equipment identified by an energy audit as reducing energy use/costs and delivering a contribution to carbon reduction. The grants cannot be used to fund energy bill payments.
No retrospective expenditure can be funded. Applicants must not have received funding from other bodies for the same items.
The business ratepayer is the eligible applicant for the BEE scheme. Where premises are rented, either the landlord or the occupying business can install energy saving equipment and apply for the grant. Tenants must have permission from their landlord and be allowed within the lease to install any equipment purchased. The applicant is responsible for complying with planning regulations https://www.southribble.gov.uk/planning
Grant applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis, based on the date that a fully completed application is submitted, together with all required supporting evidence. Please note the available funding is limited.
Grant applications must be submitted through the official website form, which will require your Business Rates Reference Number, a recent bank statement and a copy of your completed energy audit.
There are 3 levels of grant available, the award for approved applications will depend on the cost of the equipment specified in the energy audit. Grant categories will be £500 (for expenditure of £500 - £999; £1,000 (for expenditure of £1,001 - £1,999) £2,000 (for expenditure of £2,000 and above) to fund a contribution of up to 100%, of the approved costs up to the maximum grant.
Grants (for approved applications) will only be paid on receipt of a paid invoice and receipt for the approved, eligible equipment.
We reserve the right to amend the scheme at any time.
Businesses that have already received grant payments that equal the maximum Subsidy Allowance are excluded.
“*” Energy Audit: An examination of a building to find out how much energy is being used and if changes could be made in order to use less