Rate relief information
Rate Relief InformationThere are three key types of relief from business rates on non-domestic property:
Charities are entitled to 80% rate relief on non-domestic property, which is wholly or mainly occupied for the purposes of the charity.
The Council also has the discretion to remit all or part of the remaining 20% of a charity's bill.
This discretionary power also allows the Council to remit all or part of any rate bill for property occupied by certain bodies not established or conducted for profit.
Certain types of business, such as the sole general store and sole post office in rural villages with a population below 3000, may qualify for 50% rate relief.
A sole public house or petrol station with a rateable value of less than £10,500 may also qualify for rate relief.
If you would like to apply for either of these types of relief please download, print and return one of the following forms:
Non-profit or charity relief form
Village shop relief form
Small Business Rate Relief Information
The Government is introducing a new rate relief scheme to help small businesses. This scheme will be effective from 1st April 2005.
Eligible businesses with a rateable value of less than £5000 will get 50% relief. If your business has a rateable value of between £5,000 - £9,999, this relief will decrease on a sliding scale of 1% for every £100 above £5,000.
The scheme is funded by a supplement to the business rates bill of those businesses not eligible for the relief. Businesses that have a rateable value of between £10,000 and £14,999 may be eligible to pay their business rates without this supplement included. This is known as the 'buffer zone'.
In order to qualify for relief and/or the reduced multiplier, a business must satisfy the following:
- The ratepayer must only occupy one business property in England or
- The ratepayer must occupy one main property in England and other additional business properties providing that those additional properties have a rateable value of less than £2200. The total rateable value of all properties occupied will be used to assess business rate relief; any relief will be awarded against the main property only, any additional properties will not qualify for small business relief.
Any entitlement to charity relief or rural rate relief will override any underlying entitlement to small business relief. You cannot receive more than one type of relief.
Relief is calculated on a daily basis; if you no longer meet the criteria for small business relief, it will end on the day your circumstances change.
All applications should be made on the official application form, which also provides further information regarding the scheme. To download a copy of this form to print out and return, please use the following link:
Small business relief form
Please note: It is a criminal offence for a ratepayer to give false information when making an application for small business relief.
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