Small Business Rate Relief - England
In England, small businesses are entitled to Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) if the rateable value of their premises is less than £18,000 (£25,500 in London). Special rules apply for businesses that own more than one property (but with a total rateable value below this limit). For more information on schemes in Scotland and Wales, click here.
 
Precise details can be obtained from your local authority.  
 
Who qualifies?

Eligible businesses with a rateable value of below £5,000 will get 50% rate relief on their liability. This relief will decrease on a sliding scale by an estimated 1% for every £100 of rateable value over £5,000, up to £10,000. If your single property's rateable value is above £10,000 but below £15,000, your rates bill will be worked out using the same small business non-domestic rating multiplier of 48.1p in the pound.
 
If you occupy just one property in England with a rateable value of less than £10,000, you will qualify for SBRR. Additional properties don't count as long as none has an individual rateable value of more than £2,600 or as long as the combined rateable value of all properties under £18,000 (£25,500 in London).
 
Although the threshold for the combined rateable value depends on the location of the main property, this property is the only one that will have the relief applied to it. The other properties' charges are calculated using the standard multiplier (this is 48.5p in the pound).
 
Relief is only available to ratepayers with either:
  1. One property
  2. One main property and other additional properties providing those additional properties have rateable values less than £2,600
  3. The total value all the properties remains under the appropriate threshold (£18,000 outside London or £25,500 within London)
How to apply
 
If you are eligible, you only need to apply for relief once in the life of a "Rating List". You can find out if you're eligible for Small Business Rate Relief here.
 
A Rating List lasts for five years, and the 2005 Rating List applies to rates bills from 1 April 2005-31 March 2010. If you qualify for Small Business Rate Relief in that period and make an application BEFORE 30 September 2010, that relief can be backdated to 1 April 2007 or whenever you first became eligible to relief, whichever is the later.
 
From 1 April 2010-31 March 2015 the 2010 Rating List will be in force but if you were eligible in the 2005 Rating List and claimed your relief, and are still eligible in the 2010 Rating List, that relief will continue automatically.
 
The local authority does not have to write and tell you that you're eligible, it's your responsibility to work this out and apply for the relief yourself. If you are unsure of your rateable value, you should be able to find this on your bill. If you cannot find this information on your bill you should contact your local authority and ask to speak to the business rates department.
 
Don't be tempted to change your details to skew your entitlement. Falsely applying for relief is a criminal offence.
 
Other reliefs
    • Charities and community amateur sports clubs can get their business rates bills reduced by 80%. In some areas, this could be reduced even further.
    • Other non-profit organisations can apply for up to 100% discretionary relief.
    • Certain rural businesses, such as village shops and petrol stations, may be able to claim rate relief.
    • You may be able to get hardship relief if you are finding it difficult to pay. This is normally only available to businesses that are important to the local community.