Small business rate relief
This page allows you to download the small business rate relief form and gives advice on when and how to use the form.
The 2010 scheme - who should apply?
The relief is only available to ratepayers with either:
(a) one property, or
(b) one main property and other additional properties providing those additional properties have rateable values less than £2,600 and the total is less than £18,000.
The rateable value of the property mentioned in (a), or the aggregate rateable value of all properties mentioned in (b), must be under £18,000 outside London or £25,500 within London.
Scheme funding
The scheme is funded through a supplement on the rate bills of those businesses not eligible for the relief.
The supplement is built into the standard non-domestic rating multiplier.
However, ratepayers of eligible business properties with rateable values between £12,000 and £18,000 (£25,500 within London) do not have to contribute towards the relief and will have their bills calculated using the lower small business non-domestic rating multiplier.
Change of circumstances notification
The ratepayer is required to notify the billing authority, within four weeks, of any change in circumstances, which could effect their entitlement to small business rate relief. Failure to meet this requirement will bring the existing relief to a retrospective end and any new relief will only apply from the receipt date of a new claim.
In addition a further application is required where there is occupation of an additional property in England. The ratepayer must also give written notification to the billing authority where a change in the rateable value of any property not in that area has occurred.
To reiterate - if you were in receipt of small business rate relief last year there is no need to reapply, your relief will automatically continue.
Increase in level of Small Business Rate Relief
The Government announced in the March 2010 budget a temporary increase to the above detailed percentages of small business rate relief.
Ratepayers who qualify for Small Business Rate Relief with a rateable value up to £11,999 have had their relief temporarily doubled between 1 October 2010 and 30 September 2011.
Until 31 March 2014
In the 2012 Autumn Statement, the Government announced its intention to make legislative changes to extend the temporarily enhanced scheme until 31 March 2014.
Qualifying ratepayers with rateable values up to £6000 will continue to have their relief doubled to 100% until 31 March 2014.
Qualifying ratepayers with a rateable value between £6001 and £11,999 will continue to receive relief on a reduced taper but they will also see a doubling of relief until 31 March 2014. Once these legislative changes are in place, the council will calculate the additional savings and automatically notify those ratepayers affected. This enhancement will not alter the charges for qualifiers occupying a single property with a rateable value between £12,000 and £18,000 who will continue to have their charges calculated using the lower rate multiplier.
Download the form
Contact
Business Rates Section
Local Taxation Unit
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council
Town Hall
Castlefield Road
Reigate
Surrey
RH2 0SH
Telephone: 01737 276691 or 276532
Fax: 01737 276260
Email: Business.Rates@reigate-banstead.gov.uk
Last updated : 19/02/2013
