Small Business Rate Relief
Ratepayers were required to apply annually for small business rate relief, applications are now to be made in respect of the five-year period between revaluations of non-domestic business rates (1st April 2007 to 31st March 2010). In other words once an application has been completed, unless your circumstances change you will not be required to make a further application until the financial year 2010/11.
Other changes to the legislation mean where relief is granted, certain changes in circumstances need to be notified to the billing authority by the ratepayer. These changes are-
a) the ratepayer taking up occupation of a property they did not occupy at the time of making their application for relief – these changes will have to be notified through a fresh application; and
b) an increase in the rateable value of a property occupied by the ratepayer in an area other than the area of the billing authority which granted the relief - these changes will have to be notified in writing
Notification of these changes to the billing authority, within 4 weeks starting on the day after the date of change, is a condition of entitlement, failure to notify the authority will mean the ratepayer is no longer entitled to the relief. If the ratepayer notifies the authority after the four-week period, the ratepayer will lose relief from the day after the date of change until the day on which the authority is notified.
There are two eligibility criteria for this scheme.
(a) Properties have to be within the rateable value thresholds, and
(b) The ratepayer must either:
Ratepayers were required to apply annually for small business rate relief, applications are now to be made in respect of the five-year period between revaluations of non-domestic business rates (1st April 2007 to 31st March 2010). In other words once an application has been completed, unless your circumstances change you will not be required to make a further application until the financial year 2010/11.
Other changes to the legislation mean where relief is granted, certain changes in circumstances need to be notified to the billing authority by the ratepayer. These changes are-
a) the ratepayer taking up occupation of a property they did not occupy at the time of making their application for relief – these changes will have to be notified through a fresh application; and
b) an increase in the rateable value of a property occupied by the ratepayer in an area other than the area of the billing authority which granted the relief - these changes will have to be notified in writing
Notification of these changes to the billing authority, within 4 weeks starting on the day after the date of change, is a condition of entitlement, failure to notify the authority will mean the ratepayer is no longer entitled to the relief. If the ratepayer notifies the authority after the four-week period, the ratepayer will lose relief from the day after the date of change until the day on which the authority is notified.
There are two eligibility criteria for this scheme.
(a) Properties have to be within the rateable value thresholds, and
(b) The ratepayer must either:
- occupy only one property in England, or
- occupy one main property and other additional properties in England, providing the additional properties have individual rateable values below £2,200, and the combined rateable value of all the properties is under £15,000. (In this case however, only the main property will get the relief; the other properties will be charged on the higher non-domestic rating multiplier).
Rateable value thresholds
Eligible businesses with a rateable value below £5,000 will get 50% relief. This relief will decrease on a sliding scale of 1% for every £100 of rateable value up to £9,999. In addition, for these properties the bill will be calculated using the new small business non-domestic rating multiplier.
Eligible businesses with a rateable value between £10,000 and £14,999 will have the small business multiplier applied to their bill (provided they fulfil the ratepayer criteria).
You must make an application for relief and must submit your application for the relief to us within six months of the end of the financial year to which it relates.
If your business ceases to be eligible on a day during the year in question, the relief will cease on that day.
The Small Business Rate Relief scheme will be funded by a supplement on the rate bill of those businesses not eligible for the relief. This supplement is built into the standard rating multiplier.
If you meet the conditions set out above please complete the application form and return it to this office at: -
The Revenues Department
Lynton House
Commercial Road
Barnstaple
Devon
EX31 1DG
If you have any queries please telephone us on 01271 388361, alternatively you can write to us at the above address or go to our website at www.northdevon.gov.uk
Further information can also be found at www.mybusinessrates.gov.uk a Government-funded site, designed to provide businesses with a single source of clear and concise information on business rates.
Application Form For Small Business Rate Relief
Word 784Kb Pdf 88Kb
Eligible businesses with a rateable value below £5,000 will get 50% relief. This relief will decrease on a sliding scale of 1% for every £100 of rateable value up to £9,999. In addition, for these properties the bill will be calculated using the new small business non-domestic rating multiplier.
Eligible businesses with a rateable value between £10,000 and £14,999 will have the small business multiplier applied to their bill (provided they fulfil the ratepayer criteria).
You must make an application for relief and must submit your application for the relief to us within six months of the end of the financial year to which it relates.
If your business ceases to be eligible on a day during the year in question, the relief will cease on that day.
The Small Business Rate Relief scheme will be funded by a supplement on the rate bill of those businesses not eligible for the relief. This supplement is built into the standard rating multiplier.
If you meet the conditions set out above please complete the application form and return it to this office at: -
The Revenues Department
Lynton House
Commercial Road
Barnstaple
Devon
EX31 1DG
If you have any queries please telephone us on 01271 388361, alternatively you can write to us at the above address or go to our website at www.northdevon.gov.uk
Further information can also be found at www.mybusinessrates.gov.uk
a Government-funded site, designed to provide businesses with a single source of clear and concise information on business rates.Application Form For Small Business Rate Relief
Word 784Kb Pdf 88Kb
