To qualify for relief small businesses must have a total
rateable value of less than £18,000.
These kinds of businesses may be eligible for relief, which
can mean up to a 50% reduction on your business rates bill. This
relief will temporarily increase to up to 100% for the period
01.10.10 to 30.09.12. (The Government has announced its intention
to extend this period for another 12 months subject to the
regulations being approved by Parliament).
Small businesses with only one property in England are entitled to
this relief.
Those with one main business property and other additional business
properties, providing the additional properties have individual
rateable values of less than £2,600 and the combined rateable value
of all the properties is under £18,000, are also eligible.
Empty properties are discounted for this purpose and
cannot qualify for relief.
The charge on the additional properties will be based on the higher
non-domestic rating multiplier.
However, businesses currently in receipt of the following relief
will not be eligible for small business relief:
- mandatory or charitable relief
- community amateur sports club mandatory relief
- rural mandatory relief.
Provided a completed application form is received and signed by
an authorised person, eligible businesses with rateable values of
£6,000 and below will receive 50% relief. This relief is
temporarily increased to 100% for the period 01.10.10 to
30.09.12 (see comment above)
.
This percentage decreases on a sliding scale for rateable values
over £6,000 and up to £12,000. These relief awards will vary
between 0% - 50%, but will temporarliy increase to between 0% -
100% for the period 01.10.10 to 30.09.12 (see comment above).
Relief awarded against properties with a rateable value of over
£12,000 up to £18,000 will be calculated using the small
business rating multiplier only.
To apply for relief for contact our
business
rates customer services.
It is a criminal offence to give false information when making
an application for small business relief and you must notify us if
your circumstances change after submitting your application.
Any relief granted will be shown on your rates bill.
Changes in circumstances
Please note that
these changes in circumstances (which might affect your eligibility
for business rate relief) must be notified to us within
four weeks after the date of change.
Failure to do this WILL result in a loss of
relief:
- If you occupy any new business premises (anywhere in England),
that was not mentioned on your original form. In this case,
you must complete a new application form.
- If your Rateable Value changes for any of your business
premises (outside North Somerset area). You must inform us of
these details in writing.
It would also be helpful to inform us of any Rateable Value
changes within the North Somerset area; however, this is not a
statutory requirement.
