Certified Bed and Breakfast, Guest House and Guest Accommodation Support Scheme - Extended to include Hostels and Bunk Houses

Tourism NI has been allocated limited funds for this Scheme and it is expected that there will be a high level of demand. Grants awarded will be subject to available funding and the number of eligible applicants to the Scheme. The grant amount awarded to an applicant is at the discretion of Tourism NI whose decision is final.

Successful applicants can expect to receive one-off support (“the grant”) according to the following parameters:

• Financial support will be in the range of £1000 up to a maximum of £12,500, based on size and turnover. This will include:
  • A flat amount per room, plus
  • A percentage of annual turnover from 2019

For those premises certified under Hostel or Bunk Houses financial assistance will be calculated on a per bed space basis.

The grant will be paid by electronic transfer to the business bank account detailed on the application form.

Please note the scheme closed on the 11th February 2021 for applications from those categorised as Bed & Breakfast, Guest House and Guest Accommodation. The extension is for those businesses categorised as Hostel or Bunkhouse

To apply, you must be a named owner, correspondent or authorised representative from an existing Bed & Breakfast, Guest House, Guest Accommodation, Hostel or Bunk House certified by Tourism NI. Please note that, if you have more that one business in this category, you will need to submit separate application forms.

The scheme is open to applicants meeting the following criteria:

• As a tourist accommodation provider, you are in compliance with the Tourism (Northern Ireland) Order 1992.
  
  
• The business held a certificate from Tourism NI in the Bed & Breakfast, Guest House, Guest Accommodation, Hostel or Bunk House category on 23rd March 2020 and was operational on or before that date.
  
  
• The business was viable prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and you have taken all reasonable steps to safeguard the viability of the business.
  
  
• You intend to reopen and operate the business when restrictions permit.
  
  
• The business is listed on Tourism NI’s Discover Northern Ireland website. A limited number of businesses do not have a Discover Northern Ireland listing. In this case, businesses should provide a link to a website or online booking platform where your property is advertised or can be booked online.
  
  
• The business is compliant with all other statutory bodies and is adhering to all other regulations applicable to tourism businesses.
  
  
• That you/the business are fully tax compliant on the date of application. This means the business is registered with HMRC, if applicable, and all relevant tax filings with HMRC are up to date.
  
  
• The business is not the subject of insolvency or winding-up proceedings, its assets are not being administered by a liquidator or by the court, it is not in an arrangement with creditors, its business activities are not suspended, nor is it in any analogous situation arising from a similar procedure under national laws and regulations.
  
  
• Support received under previous grant schemes will be considered in calculating the level of grant under this scheme. For example, a business which received the £10k Small Business Support Grant Scheme would only be able to access £2,500 under the Tourism NI Scheme (£12,500 maximum benefit less £10,000 already received.) Businesses that received funding as part of the £25k Retail, Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure Scheme will be ineligible from the Tourism NI Scheme.

This is an online application process, when the scheme is open you will be able to apply below.

The extension will open to Hostels and Bunk Houses on the 23rd February 2021 and will close at 5pm on 9th March 2021.

Applicants are asked to submit their applications as soon as possible, but no later than 5pm on 9th March 2021. Applications cannot be made after this time.

Please note, if you have previously used Tourism NI’s online financial assistance portal, you should use your existing username and password to apply. If you are a new user, please register to gain access to the form.

Applicants should note that the granting of access to the application form does not confirm final eligibility or receipt of financial assistance on an applicant. Depending on the information provided in the application form, an applicant may be deemed ineligible for support later in the process.

Please note the scheme closed on the 11th February 2021 for applications from those categorised as Bed & Breakfast, Guest House and Guest Accommodation. The extension is for those businesses categorised as Hostel or Bunkhouse

Applications must be submitted online to Tourism NI via https://tni.flexigrant.com 

The closing date for applications is 5pm 9th March 2021. Application forms will not be accepted after this time.

As part of the application process you will be required to provide the following, along with other relevant information.

• Property and contact information.
• Proof of identification.
• Your tourism certificate.
  • A valid certificate is required to be displayed at your property and this would have been issued at the time of your last statutory inspection.
• Your company registration number, if you have one, issued by Companies House, beginning with NI followed by six numbers. For example, NI123456.
• Your bank account information and a recent bank statement from the last 3 months.
• Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) number.
• Land and Property Services Property ID
• The application form completed in full.
• A completed declaration to validate your application form.

Please note the scheme closed on the 11th February 2021 for applications from those categorised as Bed & Breakfast, Guest House and Guest Accommodation. The extension is for those businesses categorised as Hostel or Bunkhouse.

Successful applicants will receive confirmation of support via an email from Tourism NI. If your application has been successful, BACS payment will be made made to the account details provided on your application form.

Tourism NI and its partners may contact you to get feedback on the impact that the project has had. All applicants will be required to comply with this and all other conditions of support.

In the event that incorrect information is provided that impacts eligibility, or if fraudulent activity occurs, Tourism NI reserves the right to recover funds.

Information provided may be shared with Tourism NI’s partners and other statutory bodies for these purposes.

Appeals Procedure
An appeals procedure is in place for those applicants who deem the process of assessing their eligibility has been conducted unsatisfactorily. Further detail on the appeals procedure is available on request.

Equality Statement
Tourism NI is committed to the fulfilment of Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998) in both the promotion of equality and of good relations through our overall thinking and decision-making processes.

FOI and Data Protection
We are committed to being open about the way we will use information that you give us as part of your application. By submitting the declaration form to validate the application form, applicants are confirming that they understand our obligation to comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 2018.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
By applying for funding, Tourism NI takes care that it respects the rights and freedoms of all those involved, and manages personal data securely at all times, in accordance with the law. How we handle any personal information is described in our privacy policy. Applicants will be asked to accept the policy before proceeding to the online application form. BDO will be processing data submitted as part of the application process, on behalf of Tourism NI. BDO are obliged to comply with all relevant data protection legislation.

The scheme supports the 3 Categories of accommodation listed under www.discovernorthernireland.com as Small Serviced Accommodation.

• Bed and Breakfast; the provision of overnight serviced accommodation and breakfast in the hosts family home. (schedule 3 Tourism order 1992)
• Guest house; The provision of overnight serviced accommodation with breakfast and dinner in the hosts family home. (schedule 2 Tourism order 1992)
• Guest accommodation; The provision of overnight serviced en-suite bedrooms breakfast to be available. (Schedule 8 Tourism order 1992)

The Scheme has been extended to include;

• Hostels
• Bunk houses 

Other categories such as Hotels, Self-catering, and Campus accommodation are not currently eligible under this scheme.

The category the business is certified under is displayed on your current certificate under ‘statutory category’. 

The Certificate Number is a unique number which is displayed at the bottom of your current certificate from Tourism NI.

The scheme is not currently open to self –catering businesses.

Self -catering can avail of support under the Localised Restrictions Support Scheme. Further information and guidance can be found at:

• NI Direct
• NIBusinessInfo.co.uk

The Scheme is aimed at those tourist accommodation establishments which were certified by Tourism NI on or before 23 March 2020.

Establishments which commenced operations after that date opened in the knowledge of COVID 19 implications to operating procedures.

Those which opened after March 2020, i.e. from July onwards following the end of restrictions, are eligible to apply for funding under the Localised Restriction Support Scheme.

No, this support scheme is designed for businesses that hold a current certificate in Bed and Breakfast, Guest House and Guest Accommodation categories from Tourism Northern Ireland and intend to reopen in 2021 once restrictions are lifted.

Applications must be submitted online to Tourism NI via https://tni.flexigrant.com 

The closing date for applications is 5pm 9th March 2021. Application forms will not be accepted after this time.

The scheme will be administered by Tourism NI and will provide grant to support eligible businesses.

For those premises certified under Hostel or Bunk Houses financial assistance will be calculated on a per bed space basis.

• Property and contact information
• A current Tourism Northern Ireland certifcate, issued on or before 23rd March 2020
• Your business is listed on www.discovernorthernireland.com, withall information up-to-date. A limited number of businesses do not have a Discover Northern Ireland listing. In this case, businesses should provide a link to a website or online booking platform where your property is advertised or can be booked online.
• Photographic ID
• Land and Property Services Property ID
• Bank account information and bank statement relevant to the business.
• HMRC Unique Taxpayer Reference Number
• Company Registration Number. (if applicable)

Photographic ID - driving licence, passport or an Electoral Identity Card.

A UTR number is a unique taxpayer's reference, which can be found on documentation from HMRC.

Your Land and Property Services property number can be found on the second page of your Land & Property Services Rate Bill. This is typically a 6-8 digit number, e.g. 0123 4567.

Only premises who are registered with HMRC can apply for this grant, this will be a self-assessment number or a UTR (unique taxpayers' reference).

The business must be fully tax compliant on the date of application. This means that it is registered with HMRC, if applicable, and all relevant tax filings are up-to date.

Applications must be submitted via an online form. If you need another format, such as Braille or a large print, this can be requested from the application page.

During the application process you can save the form at any stage, log out and log back in. The application must be submitted before the closing date.

Once the application is submitted, the form is deemed to be complete and you cannot amend any of the information.

The closing date for applications is 5pm 9th March 2021. Application forms will not be accepted after this time.

Once the Support Scheme is closed, applications will begin processing. We will endeavor to confirm eligibility by 31st March 2021.

You will be required to make two separate applications, one for each property.

Yes, any payment received under the Localised Restrictions Support Scheme will not be included in calculations of financial support for this Scheme.

However we will ask you to provide information about any COVID support you have received since 23rd March 2020.

We can accept either photographs or scanned copies, as long as they are clearly legible.

Firstly, please ensure that you are registering on https://tni.flexigrant.com. Verification emails can take a number of hours to come through. While you are awaiting for the email, please check your Spam/ Junk mail folder in case it has arrived there.