Criteria
for Claiming a Reduction in Business Rates
Payers of business rates should be aware of various
mandatory government reliefs and discretionary local authority
(LA) reliefs which exist to reduce this local tax cost:
Business
Rates Relief
Mandatory
Relief
Discretionary
Relief
Details
Small Business
to be announced
Jan 05
to be announced
Jan 05
Rateable value < £15,000
Empty/Unused Property
100% then 50%
-
Rate relief reduces after first
3 months
Charity
80%
up to 100%
If property is used for charitable
works
Not for Profit
-
up to 100%
If property used for education,
social welfare, science, literature, fine arts or recreation
Village Shop
50%
up to LA's
discretion
If only store or post office with
rateable value < £6,000 in a village with population
< 3,000
Rural
Pubs and Petrol Stations
50%
up to LA's
discretion
If only pub or petrol station with
rateable value < £9,000 in a village with population
< 3,000
Rural Business
-
up to 100%
For businesses which are of benefit
to the community and have a rateable value <£12,000
Agricultural Diversification
up to 50%, for first 5 years
up to LA's
discretion
New non agricultural business in
agricultural buildings with rateable value <£6,000
Severe Hardship
-
up to LA's
discretion
For businesses in hardship which
are important to local community
