Grants for Businesses – Fraud Prevention

Be aware at the current time there is an increased risk of fraud.  This includes risks that someone may impersonate the Council either to commit fraud against your business or to gain information allowing them to submit an application for a business grant.

There are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself:

  • Check the email address of the sender -  Don’t click on or download anything you don’t trust - for example, if you get an email from a company with a strange email address.
  • You may be contacted by someone offering to fill out the form for the business rate grant on your behalf.  Please don’t accept any offer to do this, even if they say they work for the Council.
  • If the Business Rates Team contact you regarding your grant:
  • They will only provide links to government websites   
  • They will give you the FR number of the verification form you submitted
  • They may have to ask you a question regarding your account which only you would know, in order to validate the grant application.  However they will not ask you to divulge any personal information

Do not reveal your business rates account number or bank details to anyone you are not sure of.