Small Business Rate Relief
With effect from 1 October 2010 to 30 September 2011 there has been a temporary increase in Small Business Rates Relief. During this period eligible businesses with rateable values below £6,000 will get 100% rate relief on their liability. This relief will decrease on a sliding scale of 1% for every £60 of rateable value over £6,000, up to £11,999. Between £12,000 and £17,999 rateable value, the small business non-domestic rating multiplier will be used to calculate your bill. There are no other adjustments to the Scheme.
It was announced in the Budget on 23rd March 2011 that the temporary increase in Small Business Rate Relief which was due to end on 30 September 2011 will now continue for a further year (1 October 2011 to 30 September 2012).
On 1 October 2012, the figures will revert to those shown below.
Eligible businesses with rateable values below £6,000 will get 50% rate relief on their liability. This relief will decrease on a sliding scale of 1% for every £120 of rateable value over £6,000, up to £11,999. Between £12,000 and £17,999 rateable value, the small business non-domestic rating multiplier will be used to calculate your bill.
This relief is available to ratepayers who occupy either:
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One property with a rateable value below £18,000, or
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One main property and other additional properties providing the additional properties do not have individual rateable value of more than £2,599, and the combined rateable value of all the properties is under £18,000 outside London or £25,500 within London.
You must apply for the relief for each valuation period and the next valuation period commences on 1 April 2010. You must submit your application for the relief within six months of the end of the valuation period to which it relates. If your application for relief is granted, and provided your circumstances do not change, the application will not need to be renewed until the next revaluation of non-domestic premises, which happens every five years.Certain changes in circumstances will need to be notified to the local authority by the ratepayer within four weeks of the change in circumstances. The changes which must be notified are:
(a) you take up occupation of a property that you did not occupy at the time of making the application for relief; and
(b) an increase in the rateable value of a property which you occupy in an area other than the area of the local authority which granted the relief.
Notification of these changes must be given to the local authority within 4 weeks of the day after the day the change happened. If this happens, there will be no interruption to your entitlement to the relief. Failure to notify the authority within this time frame will mean you will cease to be entitled to the relief with effect from the day that the change happened. If you are still eligible, you will be entitled to the relief again with effect from the day that you notify the local authority. A notification that you have taken up occupation of an additional property must be by way of a fresh application for relief; notice of an increase in rateable value must be given in writing.
If the change of circumstances is such that you will no longer be eligible for the relief, e.g. because you occupy a new hereditament with a rateable value above the £2,600 threshold, relief would end from the date of change.
You can download a Small Business Rate Relief Application Form.
