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FAQS

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Find out more about BEECP

HOW DO I REGISTER MY INTEREST IN BEECP?

For general enquiries, to book a site visit or to start a grant application, please contact the BEECP office:

Tel: 01733 882549

Email: info@beecp.co.uk

You can also register your interest online at https://www.beecp.org/sign-up



WHAT IS ERDF?

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is an EU funding programme which aims to generate economic growth by supporting innovation, sustainability and increased employment.

BEECP is funded through ERDF priority axis 4, which aims to support SMEs in reducing carbon emissions.



WHAT ABOUT BREXIT?

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, has confirmed that the UK Government will guarantee funding for European Union funded projects after the UK leaves the European Union*. This means that BEECP is not at risk of losing funding.

* https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-philip-hammond-guarantees-eu-funding-beyond-date-uk-leaves-the-eu
* https://goo.gl/ZEpXqf



IS MY BUSINESS ELIGIBLE?

The BEECP programme is open to most Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) that meet the following criteria, though a full eligibility check will be completed when you register your interest with BEECP. ECONOMIC ACTIVITY Your organisation must be regarded as an ‘enterprise’ which can be defined as, ‘any entity engaged in an economic activity, irrespective of its legal form’. It is therefore the economic activity that is the determining factor, not the legal form. An enterprise might therefore be:

  • Sole Trader
  • Unincorporated Association
  • Limited Partnership
  • Limited Company
  • Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
  • Community Interest Company (CIC)
  • Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
  • Industrial and Provident Society (I&P or IPS)
FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY Further to the above your business must not be an undertaking in financial difficulty. This means an undertaking in respect of which at least one of the following circumstances occurs: In the case of a limited liability company (other than an SME that has been in existence for less than three years or, for the purposes of eligibility for risk finance aid, an SME within 7 years from its first commercial sale that qualifies for risk finance investments following due diligence by the selected financial intermediary), where more than half of its subscribed share capital has disappeared as a result of accumulated losses. This is the case when deduction of accumulated losses from reserves (and all other elements generally considered as part of the own funds of the company) leads to a negative cumulative amount that exceeds half of the subscribed share capital. For the purposes of this provision, ‘limited liability company’ refers in particular to the types of company mentioned in Annex I of Directive 2013/34/EU (1) and ‘share capital’ includes, where relevant, any share premium. In the case of a company where at least some members have unlimited liability for the debt of the company (other than an SME that has been in existence for less than three years or, for the purposes of eligibility for risk finance aid, an SME within 7 years from its first commercial sale that qualifies for risk finance investments following due diligence by the selected financial intermediary), where more than half of its capital as shown in the company accounts has disappeared as a result of accumulated losses. For the purposes of this provision, ‘a company where at least some members have unlimited liability for the debt of the company’ refers in particular to the types of company mentioned in Annex II of Directive 2013/34/EU. ORGANISATIONAL SIZE You must employ not more than 250 full time equivalent (FTE) staff. Your business must have an annual turnover less than €50million OR an annual balance sheet less than €43million. LOCATION Your business needs to be active in one of the following local authority areas that fall within the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership catchment area;
  • Cambridge City
  • East Cambridgeshire
  • Fenland
  • Forest Heath
  • Huntingdonshire
  • North Hertfordshire
  • Peterborough
  • Rutland
  • South Cambridgeshire
  • South Holland
  • South Kesteven
  • St Edmundsbury
  • Uttlesford
  • West Norfolk and Kings Lynn
STATE AID Your business must have received less that €200,000 of state aid over the last three fiscal years. SECTOR EXCLUSIONS We are unable to provide support to businesses from certain sectors, these include (but are not limited to) the following:
  • Fisheries and aquaculture
  • Primary production, processing and marketing of agricultural products
  • Steel
  • Synthetic fibres
  • Statutory services; education, healthcare, etc.
  • Banking, insurance and other financial services
NOTE: These criteria apply to your business and any ‘linked’ businesses that you own or that have a controlling interest in your business.



Completing your BEECP-funded project

WHAT ARE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE GRANT?

The standard grant terms and conditions can be found here. If your grant application is successful, there may also be additional, project-specific conditions. These will be outlined in your grant offer letter.



HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO INSTALL THE MEASURES, ONCE THE APPLICATION IS APPROVED?

It is a condition of the Grant Agreement that measures are installed within three months of the date of Grant Approval, unless the BEECP team is informed of a reasonable explanation for the delay. If you know at the outset that it will not be possible to complete your project within three months, please discuss this with your Grant Broker and include this information in your application form. The Grant Panel may be able to approve a longer delivery period in these circumstances.



CAN I CHANGE MY PROJECT AFTER A GRANT OFFER HAS BEEN MADE?

As a general rule, no. However, there may be come exceptional cases where it is possible to alter the project, so you should contact your Grants Broker to discuss this in the first instance. Please note, any changes to the aims, objectives, targets, budget or work undertaken in relation to your grant must be notified in writing for approval before you defray any expenditure.



HOW SHOULD I PAY THE CONTRACTOR?

To secure payment of your grant, you will need to provide evidence that the contractor has been paid in full for the completed works. This will include certified copies of contractor invoices and bank statements showing defrayal. In most cases, SMEs will pay the contractor using their own funds. If you intend to use a loan or other finance agreement, please discuss this with your Grant Broker before submitting your application.



Completing your BEECP-funded project

WHAT ARE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE GRANT?

The standard grant terms and conditions can be found here. If your grant application is successful, there may also be additional, project-specific conditions. These will be outlined in your grant offer letter.



HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO INSTALL THE MEASURES, ONCE THE APPLICATION IS APPROVED?

It is a condition of the Grant Agreement that measures are installed within three months of the date of Grant Approval, unless the BEECP team is informed of a reasonable explanation for the delay. If you know at the outset that it will not be possible to complete your project within three months, please discuss this with your Grant Broker and include this information in your application form. The Grant Panel may be able to approve a longer delivery period in these circumstances.



CAN I CHANGE MY PROJECT AFTER A GRANT OFFER HAS BEEN MADE?

As a general rule, no. However, there may be come exceptional cases where it is possible to alter the project, so you should contact your Grants Broker to discuss this in the first instance. Please note, any changes to the aims, objectives, targets, budget or work undertaken in relation to your grant must be notified in writing for approval before you defray any expenditure.



HOW SHOULD I PAY THE CONTRACTOR?

To secure payment of your grant, you will need to provide evidence that the contractor has been paid in full for the completed works. This will include certified copies of contractor invoices and bank statements showing defrayal. In most cases, SMEs will pay the contractor using their own funds. If you intend to use a loan or other finance agreement, please discuss this with your Grant Broker before submitting your application.



Claiming your grant

WHAT EVIDENCE WILL BE REQUIRED TO CLAIM FOR THE AGREED GRANT AMOUNT?

The following evidence will be required to secure payment of your grant:

  • Completed grant claim form (BEE.10), plus supplementary forms if relevant (BEE.10A Finance Agreements, BEE.10B Job Creation and BEE.10C New Products and Services).
  • Invoices or receipts for the items purchased.
  • Bank statements showing defrayal of the relevant invoices and receipts.
  • Finance agreement and repayment schedule, if relevant.
All documents MUST be certified as being a true copy of the original, signed and dated by the person submitting the claim. If this is not done your claim form will be returned to you for resubmission and this will delay payment of your grant award.



WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE MEASURES UPFRONT BEFORE THE GRANT IS PAID?

ERDF funding regulations require SMEs to pay for capital measures upfront and then be reimbursed for the approved grant amount. This is to ensure that the grant is used for the approved energy efficiency measures. This method also means that appropriate audit trail is provided to BEECP, reducing the risk of the grant conditions being breached.



WHAT IF MY PROJECT COSTS MORE THAN EXPECTED?

Your offer letter will state the total grant offer in £ and the intervention rate. In both cases, these represent the maximum amount which will be paid upon receipt of a compliant grant claim. If the final invoice is higher than the preferred quote identified in the application, the claim will be capped at the maximum £ stated in the offer letter. For example, if your business has been offered a grant of 25% against a total project expenditure of £8,000 (i.e. £2,000 grant offer) and the final project costs £10,000, your claim would be capped at £2,000. Please note, you would still need to submit invoices and bank statements showing the whole project cost of £10,000 has been defrayed. In the same way, if your project costs less than the amount quoted in the application, your claim will be capped at the intervention rate stated in the offer letter. So, using the example above of a grant offer of 25% against an £8,000 project (£2,000 grant offer), if the final invoice is for £6,000 then only £1,500 (25%) can be claimed.



HOW WILL THE GRANT BE PAID TO ME?

Grants will be paid in arrears, once projects have been completed and evidence of installation and defrayal has been provided. Claims will be settled by BACS within 30 days of the submission of the completed claim form (for grant claims under £5,000) or within 3 months (for claims over £5,000).