This is a small grant scheme for local Wyre-based established Micro and Small businesses. Those who are looking to reduce their carbon emissions, environmental impact and improving energy efficiency.
The grant of up to a maximum of £500, match funded, will help fund expert advisory support towards your project goals.
- There will be a two stage process, with an initial ‘Expression of Interest’ (EOI) followed by a full application.
- If an EOI is approved you will be requested to submit any further information required by the grant panel, and the required documents for your project.
- Once your grant request is approved and documentation checked you will be required to sign a grant agreement.
- Once we have your signed grant agreement, your may proceed with engaging with your consultant.
- Once the consultant has been completed their work and invoiced you, you will pay them, submit claim 1 (e.g. 80% of £500 grant is £400) and then work on your outputs/outcomes.
- Once the bulk/all of these goals are achieved (we appreciate in the timescales not all will be achieved) you will then submit your second grant claim for the remainder 20% (e.g 20% of £500 grant is £100). You should therefore have sufficient funds to pay the consultant and undertake the project in advance of the grant claims.
Eligibility
To qualify for the grant, businesses must be a legal entity and:
- Be a Micro or Small Enterprise: fewer than 50 employees and a turnover of less than £15 million OR a balance sheet total of less than £7.5 million.
- Start-up or new businesses (trading for not less than 1 year) as well as established businesses which are seeking to innovate, grow and scale up.
- Operate from a postcode in Wyre.
- Not have received more than £315,000 in subsidies over the past 3 years.
- Have an email address registered with the council’s Wyred Up business network (free to join – Wyred Up – Invest in Wyre) or on the form below. If in doubt simply re-register and we will replace your old details. If you have not opened a Wyred Up newsletter for over 12 months you will need to re-register.
Support that can be funded:
- One-to-one support from a sustainability advisor or local academia teams.
- Guidance on further funding options and implementation of renewable energy/low-carbon options/energy efficiency measures/helping nature/reduced impact on environment.
- For developing renewable technology that can be implemented.
- Assisted research and development for sustainability.
- Sustainable Business growth support, including guidance to achieve PAS 2060 or PPN006
Project Outcomes that are expected of the grant:
These can be tailored to suit the business/depending on previous work achieved.
- Energy audit or carbon assessment conducted.
- Carbon neutrality developed with SMART targets. PAS 2060 can be attained and used to satisfy the carbon neutrality aspect of a PPN 006. Includes measuring, reducing, and offsetting emissions, as well as a commitment to ongoing monitoring and reporting.
- Achieve PPN006 certification (Public Procurement supplier requirement). Requires annual measurement and reporting of Scope 1, 2, and a subset of Scope 3 emissions, as well as a commitment to Net Zero by 2050.
- Number of funded projects started or completed (e.g., LED upgrades, insulation, solar panels).
- Measurable impact achieved, changes in production to benefit the environment or significant progress made towards end targets.
- Measured in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) saved annually.*
- Nature based solutions onsite to reduce emissions.
- Energy Consumption Reduced – Reduction in kWh usage across participating businesses. *
- Cost Savings Achieved – Financial savings from reduced energy bills.
- Increase in Renewable/low-carbon Energy Use – Percentage of businesses adopting solar, wind, or other renewables and low-carbon options.
- Surveyed increase in knowledge, improved environmental business statement/policy (showing an understanding of the need to transform to more sustainable operations) or behaviour change among business owners and staff.*
- Follow-on Investment – Additional private or public investment leveraged as a result of the intervention to support sustainable growth. This could also be demonstrated additionally via an improved environmental business statement/policy that shows understanding of the need to transform to more sustainable operations.
*required proof for claim.
Grant Details
- 50% grant (up to a maximum of £500) of the eligible costs.
- Three quotes for consultancy costs with explanation of selected choice.
- Milestones must be achievable to create the outcomes agreed (pending project) ideally before December 2025. This will be discussed with your consultant. Claims will be paid before end March 2026.
- A business can only submit one application per grant round.
- All limited companies will need to be registered with Companies House. All Sole Traders and Partnerships will need to be registered for self assessment with HMRC.
- Evidence required for grant claim:
- After being grant approved – consultant audit to measure starting data e.g. energy bills, staff awareness, supply chain criteria against business delivery capability etc.
- Invoice from consultant (or other accredited professional in sustainability/technical installer)
- proof of payment to the consultant
- proof of business support attendance/1-2-1 mentoring
- proof of the completion of work/project e.g. PPN 006, photography of completed project/installation
- minimum of four measured impacts of project through grant scheme
- Applications may be prioritised in accordance with their scores and they will be assessed against each other.
- Grants may be conditional on securing appropriate permissions. Any offer of a grant does not imply that permissions will be granted.
- Applicants may be required to undergo a business diagnostic and/or undertake business support, in order to ensure that the business will be able to achieve the outcomes of the grant terms, and provision sustainability.
Exclusions
- Businesses using the funding to promote a particular religious, faith or political belief or activity.
- Retrospective funding.
- Businesses at risk – credit checks will be performed on applying businesses.
- Businesses in arrears on business rates.
- Businesses where a Food Safety Hygiene rating is deficient.
- Businesses in breach of planning control or with a history of breaches.
- Businesses in breach of any other council regulated activity.
- Non Wyre based businesses – a Wyre Postcode for an operational business is required.
Costs which are not eligible
General costs:
Any costs incurred before the project start date shown in the grant funding agreement
- Contingency costs
- The cost of getting any permissions or consents, such as planning permission
- Any items which you have already had public (including EU) funding for (or intend to get EU or other public funding for)
- Relocation costs – if the business needs to relocate in order to expand, it can only apply for funding for the cost of the expansion
- Costs associated with the provision of housing
- Projects that are carried out only to meet a domestic legal requirement
Buildings, land and equipment costs
- Repairs and maintenance of existing buildings, equipment and machinery
- Improvement of the visual appearance of a shop front, commercial premises or building in a town centre.
- Like-for-like replacement of existing items (such as buildings, equipment and machinery)
- Machinery or equipment that will not be on the asset register of the business 5 years after payment of your last grant claim
- The cost of moveable fittings – like soft furnishings, beds, tables, chairs, cutlery, crockery, curtains, televisions and audio equipment, hand tools, small domestic kitchen equipment and utensils
- Purchase of land or buildings
Business running costs
- Salaries and running costs
- In-kind contributions such as labour, vehicle or office space
- Recurring licence fees, subscriptions and service charges
- Computers, software and printers used in the general running of the business
- Mobile phones
- Consumables
- Standard non-specialised domestic vehicles such as cars or motorbikes
Financial costs
- Bad debts
- Advance payments
- Insurance policy costs
- Working capital
- Financial charges such as bank charges, fines and interest
- Reclaimable VAT
Please make your Expression of Interest via your MyWyre acocunt on the main Council Website Low Carbon Grant – Expression of Interest | Instructions – Wyre Council
We cannot advise if your project will be eligible, you should make your EOI, but you are welcome to ask for EOI or other business support at regeneration@wyre.gov.uk
How to Apply
The grant will be issued on a first to complete their basis before end December 2025.
- Sign up to Wyred Up as a Member
- Complete the grant ‘Expression of Interest’ for eligibility https://www.wyre.gov.uk/xfp/form/642
- Checks will be performed on the business status, timescales, eligibility and membership.
Suitable requests will be formerly asked to complete an application form and submit several documents. Our team will then support you on this next process:
- Applicant to speak with at least three sustainability advisors, or through an existing contracted Lancashire authority delivery partner; with explanation of selected choice of advisor/consultant.
- Ensures their impact reduction is fully auditable i.e. they have accurate start data (to compare with the after-end data, which is needed for the final grant claim e.g. twelve months of previous energy consumption and bills). Note: This will be backed up by the specialist upon starting. Supporting evidence of need documents (e.g., energy bills, supply chain criteria, business support sign up, landlord permission).
- Applicant submits information.
- Application considered by panel.
- Conditional Grant Offered sent.
- Conditional Grant Offer letter signed and returned by applicant.
- Applicant advised to commence at own cost their project/ CRP – no start prior to agreement being signed by both parties.
- Completion notification from applicant and proof of payment to Consultant
- Submission of Consultant invoice payment financial information for grant claim part 1 (80%)
- Proof of work undertaken (i.e. measurable outcomes) and business support undertaken proof for grant claim part 2 (20%)
- Media case studies on some project may be undertaken.
