How to sign up for Eat Out to Help Out

Kathryn

There’s a huge amount of information out there about the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, much of it confusing.  Here’s a summary of what you actually need to know: What is it, am I eligible and how do I sign up?

The scheme starts on 3 August, and you cannot offer the discount if you have not registered.

What is it?

Eligible businesses who register for the scheme can offer discounts to their customers:

  • The discount will be available every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during August.
  • It gives customers up to 50% off all food and non-alcoholic drinks which are going to be consumed on the premises.
  • The maximum discount is £10 per head.
  • There’s no limit to the number of times a customer can visit and use the discount.
  • You can claim back the value of the discount from the government.

Am I eligible?

You are eligible to register if:

  • You sell food for immediate consumption on the premises.
  • You have your own dining area, or use of an area shared with other eat-in establishments (such as in a motorway services).
  • You were already registered as a food business, or had submitted your application to register, by 7 July 2020.

This includes:

  • Restaurants and cafes
  • Pubs which serve food
  • Workplace canteens
  • Cafes within tourist attractions and leisure facilities

You are not eligible to register if:

  • Your business is exclusively for takeaway
  • You have a mobile food van (even if you put out chairs or informal seating)
  • You providing meals as part of a package (such as all-inclusive cruises)
  • You provide catering services for private functions (such as wedding venues)

If your customer is dining in but leaves with some or all of their food you can still reclaim the discount amount.

How do I sign up?

Unfortunately, your agent cannot do this for you so you will need to sign up for the scheme yourself.

  • You will need a Government Gateway ID and password, but if you don’t have one already you can create one as part of the application process.
  • You will need to include the name and address of each establishment, your business bank account details and the date that your business started trading.
  • If you have more than one establishment you must register all of them at the same time – you won’t be able to go back and add more later.
  • If you have more than 25 establishments then you can link to your website as long as this provides the relevant address details for each.  Otherwise you will need to enter the details manually.
  • Your registration should be processed instantly.

What happens next?

Once you have registered you will be able to start promoting your business as a scheme user.  There are lots of free downloadable materials available to use, including posters and logos here.

Your business will appear on the list of participating establishments.  This list is searchable by the public and allows them to view registered businesses within their local area.  The link to the list is here.

For each of your establishments you must keep records of the:

  • Total number of people who have used the scheme
  • Total value of transactions under the scheme
  • Total value of discounts you’ve given

You will be able to claim back the value of the discounts but the reimbursement service is not expected to open until 7 August.  All claims must be made by 30 September.

Amounts you receive from the scheme will be taxable income, and if you are VAT registered you will need to account for VAT on the full amount of your invoices not the discounted amount.

Any questions?

If you have any questions or would like to talk about any aspects of the scheme please contact me.

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