Support for businesses affected by coronavirus
Find out about support available for businesses affected by the Covid-19 pandemic by visiting our Covid-19 business information page.
Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF)
The Government recently announced a new COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) of £1.5 billion.
The fund will support businesses affected by the pandemic but do not qualify for existing support linked to Business Rates.
Find out more about the Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund and how to apply (opens in new window).
If you are have already received Covid-19 business support funding, you must make sure you comply with Covid-19 business grant subsidy allowance rules to qualify for more help.
Find out more about Covid-19 business grant subsidy allowance (opens in new window).
Business Rates discounts
Retail, hospitality and leisure relief scheme 2022/23
In his budget on 27 October 2021, the Chancellor announced that qualifying ratepayers will receive 50% relief on their business rates bills for the year 2022/23 up to a maximum cash cap of £110,000.
Relief will be provided to eligible occupied retail, hospitality and leisure properties in 2022/23.
In line with the conditions set by the government, a ratepayer may only claim up to £110,000 of support under the 2022/23 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme for all of their eligible hereditaments. This cash cap applies at a Group company level (so holding companies and subsidiaries cannot claim up to the cash cap for each company) and also to organisations which, although not a company, have such an interest in a company that they would, if they were a company, result in its being the holding company.
Furthermore, the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme is subject to the subsidies chapter within the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The subsidies chapter within the TCA only applies to subsidies over the value of approximately £343,000 per beneficiary over a 3-year period (consisting of the current financial year and the two previous financial years) (the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance limit). Extended Retail Discounts granted in 2020/21 or 2021/22 do not count towards the limit. Covid-19 business grants received from local government and any other subsidy claimed under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance limit over the 3 year period should be counted.
Therefore, to claim the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief you must not have exceeded either the £110,000 cash cap for 2022/23 or the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance limit of £343,000 over 3 years (including 2022/23).
If you have exceeded the cash cap limit, no longer wish to claim retail relief or have any queries in regards to this please contact the team by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 03004 560 560.
Advice and support
Visit our Business page has more information about other types of support available.
Other types of Business Rates Relief
Your business property may qualify for relief on business rates, pdf read the Wychavon Guidelines for Awarding Rate Relief (246 KB) for supplementary information. See the range of reductions available below.
Empty property
Business Rates is not be payable for the first three months that a property is empty. After the 3-month period, rates will be charged at 100% unless the property is exempt e.g. listed buildings, empty properties owned by charities and community amateur sports clubs. Some properties are eligible for extended empty property relief, find out more about exempted buildings and empty buildings relief on GOV.UK.
Partially empty property
If only part of the premises is being used it may be possible to reduce the amount of business rates that are paid.
The relief would stop if:
- the unoccupied part becomes occupied
- the property becomes completely unoccupied
If you wish to claim or inquire about this relief you should contact us immediately, and we will arrange for one of our Visiting Officers to visit your premises.
Small Business Rate Relief
- To qualify your property's rateable value must be less than £15,00
- Your business only uses one property - you may still be able to get relief if you use more
Qualifying businesses with a rateable value of £12,000 or below currently get 100% relief. This relief will decrease on a sliding scale for rateable values between £12,000 to £15,000. In addition, such businesses will have their bill calculated using the small business rates non-domestic rates multiplier.
Qualifying businesses with a rateable value between £15,001 - £51,000 will have their bill calculated using the small business rates non-domestic rates multiplier.
pdf If you wish to apply, complete the Application for Small Business Rate Relief (178 KB)
Rural Rate Relief
Businesses in a Rural Settlement could qualify for Mandatory or Discretionary Rural Rate Relief on their Non Domestic Rates bill.
A list of the areas that are designated Rural Settlement list is available on our website or in our contact centres at Pershore, Evesham and Droitwich. pdf View Rural Settlement list (196 KB)
Mandatory Rural Rate Relief
To qualify for 100% Mandatory Rural Rate Relief, your business premises must:
- be within the boundaries of a qualifying rural settlement.
- have a rateable value of not more than £8,500 in the case of a Post Office, general store or food shop.
- have a rateable value of not more than £12,500 in the case of a public house or petrol filling station.
- be used in whole or in part, as a general store, Post Office or both, or as a public house, food shop or petrol filling station.
- be either the only general store, the only Post Office, the only public house or the only petrol filling station in the rural settlement.
pdf Download Mandatory Rural Rate Relief application form (143 KB) .
Discretionary Rural Rate Relief
We may grant up to 50% relief to any general store, food shop, Post Office, public house or petrol filling station which does not qualify for the Mandatory Rural Rate Relief.
- A business can apply for Discretionary Rural Rate Relief of 50% provided that it:
- is within the boundaries of a qualifying rural settlement.
- has a rateable value of less than £16,500.
- is used for purposes which are of benefit to the local community, and
- is reasonable for us to make such a decision having regard to the interests of persons liable to pay Council Tax set by it.
pdf Download the Discretionary Rural Rate Relief application form (146 KB) .
Charitable and Discretionary Relief
Registered charities, charitable organisations and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASC's) are entitled to relief from rates on any non-domestic property that is wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes.
- Relief is given at 80 per cent of the bill. We have the discretion to give a further 20% relief on the remaining bill depending upon what the premises are used for.
- We also have the discretion to give up to 50% discretionary relief on all or part of any rate bill for property occupied by certain non-profit making organisations for example; sports clubs, societies, village halls and youth associations.
pdf Download the Mandatory and Discretionary Relief application form. (113 KB)
You can get further information on Rate Relief by visiting the Business Rates page on the GOV.UK website.
Hardship Relief
Businesses may be entitled to a reduction from rates if they are suffering hardship and they can show that the local community would suffer a loss if the business was to close.
As each case needs to be determined on its merits you should contact us for further information.
Supporting Small Businesses Relief
Supporting Small Businesses Relief is to support ratepayers facing large increases, as a result of the loss of rural rate and small business rate relief due to the revaluation. This relief will ensure that the increase per year is limited to the greater of:
- a percentage increase of 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 15% and 15% in 2017/18 to 2021/22 all plus inflation. Unlike the transitional relief scheme, for the first year of the scheme the percentage increase is taken against the bill for 31 March 2017 after small business rate relief or rural rate relief; and
- a cash value of £600 per year (£50 per month). This cash minimum increase ensures that those ratepayers paying nothing or very small amounts in 2016/17 after small business rate relief are brought into paying something
- This has recently been extended for an additional financial year into 2022/23
This relief has been automatically applied to eligible accounts and therefore there is no formal application process, however, for any further information regarding this relief, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..