Small business rate relief was introduced to help small businesses.
To help small businesses there are two main ways to help reduce business rate bills: using a lower multiplier to calculate the bill and applying a discount to the bill depending on the rateable value.
This help is called Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR).
Who can get SBRR
Where the rateable value of the property is £15,000 or less, a business is eligible to claim a discount on their rates bill. To qualify for a discount, businesses must contact us and confirm that:
- the sole or main property they occupy must have a rateable value of £15,000 or less and
- if they occupy any additional properties, each of the additional properties must have a rateable value of less than £2,900, and the total rateable value of all of their properties must be less than £28,000.
Businesses with a rateable value of between £15,001 and £50,999 will have their bill calculated on the basis of the small business rate multiplier.
Small business rate relief extension
Relief can continue for another year if you occupy an additional property instead of being lost as normal. We will automatically calculate the relief where there is a continued entitlement.
How the SBRR discount is calculated
Ratepayers who qualify for SBRR discount, will get the following reductions in their business rates bill.
| Rateable value (RV) | Max SBRR | Min SBRR | Sliding scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| up to £12,000 | 100% | 100% | n/a |
| £12,001 to £15,000 | 100% | 0% | 100% minus 1% for every £30 of RV above £12,000 |
This calculation is for guidance only – please ensure you take independent advice before committing to a lease or other rental agreement on any property.
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 us). The changes which should be notified are:
- (a) the ratepayer taking up occupation of an additional property, and
- (b) 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.
For more information please email: businessrates@north-herts.gov.uk