Small business rate relief (SSBR) is a national discount scheme administered by the council on behalf of the Government. It is awarded on a sliding scale depending on the amount of your rateable value (RV).
The maximum amount of discount is 100%. This means you may be able to reduce your bill to zero, depending on your Rateable Value (RV).
How much reduction will I get?
- if the rateable value is £12,000 or less, you will get a 100% discount;
- if the rateable value is between £12,001 and £14,999, the discount is calculated on a sliding scale. For example, you will get a 50% discount if your rateable value is £13,500
- if your rateable value is £15,000 or over, no Small Business Rate Relief can be awarded.
Do I qualify?
To qualify for relief, you must occupy either:
- one property with a rateable value of less than £15,000 or
- one main property and other additional properties providing the additional properties each have a rateable value below £2,900, and the total rateable value of all your properties is below £20,000
- For those businesses who take on a second property with a rateable value of more than £2,899, Small Business Rate Relief on your existing property will be removed after 12 months.
- When applying for SBRR, please note this reduction can only be applied to one property.
- Relief is only applicable to occupied properties where the ratepayer is not entitled to mandatory relief as a charity.
Change in circumstance
If you occupy another property after SBRR is applied on an existing property, you should notify the council to see if relief can still be awarded;
- where the rateable value of any other property or properties you occupy increases above £2,900 and collectively above £20,000
- the property becomes unoccupied.
Can SBRR be backdated?
Yes, relief can be backdated as far back as 1st April 2017, providing you have met the qualifying criteria throughout.
Important information
Empty properties do not qualify for SBRR.
Ratepayers in receipt of mandatory charity relief do not qualify for SBRR.
You must notify us within 28 days of any changes in your circumstances that may affect your entitlement to relief; e.g if you become liable for an additional property or extend your current premises.
If you make a false declaration you can be fined, imprisoned or both.