The registration website, which can be accessed here, went live today (Monday 13 July). Operators will need to have their Government Gateway ID to hand to sign in.
You will also need the name and address of each venue to be registered, unless you are registering more than 25 (if this is the case, you cannot register yet but this service will be available from 13 July).
If you are registering 25 venues or fewer, you must provide the details of each site. You may also need to provide a list to HMRC on request, with details of all participating establishments.
If you do need to register more than 25 establishments that are part of the same business, you do not have to provide details for each one but a link to a website that contains details of each venue participating in the scheme including the trading name and address.
The UK bank account number and sort code for the business (details where a BACS payment can be accepted) will also be required alongside the address on the bank account for the business.
Scheme details
It may also be useful to have your VAT registration number, employer PAYE scheme reference number and corporation tax or self-assessment unique taxpayer reference to hand.
However, the Government has stated participating businesses cannot offer discounts before 3 August.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the scheme to offer a discount to diners and encourage them to eat out of home during his Summer Statement on 8 July.
It can be used all day, every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 3 August to 31 August 2020 to offer a 50% discount - up to a maximum of £10 per person - to diners for food and non-alcoholic drinks to eat or drink in.
Alcoholic drinks and service charges are excluded from the offer.
There is no limited to the number of times customers can use the offer during this period, however customers cannot get a discount for someone who is not eating or drinking.
Customers do not need a physical voucher as participating businesses should remove the discount from the bill and operators can then reclaim the discounted amount through the online service.
Claim information
The service pub operators will use to claim reimbursements will be available on 7 August.
Operators must wait seven days from registration to make their first claim. HMRC will pay eligible claims within five working days.
Claims can be submitted on a weekly basis.
Registration is instant and you will receive a reference number, which you will need when you claim the reimbursement.
There will also be promotional materials available to download to help promote the scheme and inform customers of your participation.