Small Business Rate Relief
On 1 April 2005, the Government introduced a
Small Business Rate Relief Scheme (SBRR). Under this scheme
the Government set two multipliers each year to calculate the
business rate liability based on the rateable value of each
property. A higher multiplier was set for businesses who do
not qualify for small business rate relief. A lower
multiplier was set for business who do qualify. The
multipliers for 2013/14 are £0.471 and £0.462.
Ratepayers who are not entitled to another
mandatory relief or are liable for unoccupied property rates and
occupy a property with a rateable value which does not exceed
£17,999 will have their bill calculated using the lower small
business non-domestic rating multiplier, rather than the national
non-domestic rating multiplier.
In addition, generally, if the sole or main
property is shown on the rating list with a rateable value which
does not exceed £12,000, the ratepayer will receive a percentage
reduction in their rates bill for this property of up to a maximum
of 50% for a property with a rateable value of not more than
£6,000. However, until 31 March 2014 the Government has doubled the
usual level of relief. This percentage reduction (relief) is only
available to ratepayers who occupy either:
- one property, or
- one main property and other additional properties
providing those additional properties each have a rateable value
which does not exceed £2,599.
The rateable value of the property mentioned in (1), or the
aggregate rateable value of all the properties mentioned in (2),
must not exceed £17,999 on each day for which relief is being
sought. If the rateable value, or aggregate rateable value,
increases above those levels, relief will cease from the day of the
increase.
An application for Small Business Rate Relief is not required.
Where a ratepayer meets the eligibility criteria and has not
received the relief they should contact the business rate section
on 01992 785504. Provided the ratepayer continues to satisfy the
conditions for relief which apply at the relevant time as regards
the property and the ratepayer, they will automatically continue to
receive relief in each new valuation period.
Certain changes in circumstances will need to be notified to the
Council by a ratepayer who is in receipt of relief (other changes
will be picked up by the Council). The changes which should be
notified are:
- the ratepayer taking up occupation of an additional property,
and
- an increase in the rateable value of a property occupied by the
ratepayer in an area other than the area of the local authority
which granted the relief.