National Non-Domestic Rates (Business Rates) Discretionary Rate Relief Policy

(Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1998 as amended by Section 69 of the Localism Act 2011)

Overview

Under the Localism Act 2011, the current transitional relief scheme will be extended to cap the rates increases for small and medium properties falling out of transition 2015-2016.

Small properties (with an RV of less than £18,000) will have a cap on increase of 15% and medium properties (with an RV of up to and including £50,000) will have a cap of 25% on increases.

These caps apply before the increase in the business rates multiplier.

Relief is calculated on the business rates liability after other reliefs (including other Localism Act reliefs such as retail relief) have been applied.

Eligibility

Relief will be granted in the following circumstances:

• a property with a RV of £50,000 or less on 1st April 2010 and
• the property would have qualified for transitional relief to a higher bill had the transitional relief scheme in place on 31 March 2015 remained in place

Applications

There is no requirement to apply. Relief will be applied for qualifying properties.

Duration

Relief may be awarded for up to 2 years from 1 April 2015 This is a temporary relief and eligibility ends on 31 March 2017.