Business Rates Reliefs

Empty Or Partially Empty Property

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 on the Exempted buildings and empty buildings relief.

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

If you wish to apply, complete the Application for Small Business Rate Relief

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 Spa.

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.

Complete the Mandatory Rural Rate Relief application form by downloading the Mandatory Rural Rate Relief application form.

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.

Complete the Discretionary Rural Rate Relief application form by downloading the Discretionary Rural Rate Relief application form.

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.

Complete the Mandatory and Discretionary Rate Relief application form by downloading the Mandatory and Discretionary Relief application form.

You can get further information on Rate Relief by visiting the Business Rates page on the GOV.UK website.

Discretionary Scheme

A breakdown of the £300 million funding available to support businesses in Wychavon that are most affected by the recent revaluation.

Scheme

This scheme has been automatically applied to eligible accounts therefore businesses do not need to apply.

Qualifying Criteria

To maximise the funding available the following criteria has been used:

• The business has had an increase in Rateable Value as a result of the recent revaluation 2017/18
• The relief in 2017/18 will be fixed at 75% of business rates growth between 2016/17 and 2017/18
• The business has a Rateable Value under £200,000
• The business is not part of a national chain
• The business is not a public sector organisation or a housing association
• The hereditaments must be occupied
• The minimum relief awarded will be £100.00

If you believe you meet the qualification criteria and have not been included in this scheme please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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

To support ratepayers facing large increases, as a result of the loss of rural rate and small business rate relief due to the revaluation. The ‘Supporting Small Businesses’ relief will ensure that the increase per year is limited to the greater of:

1. 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
2. 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

Ratepayers remain in the Supporting Small Businesses relief scheme for either 5 years or until they reach the bill they would have paid without the scheme. 

Retail Discounts

• A  33% (one-third) discount will be given to eligible retail businesses with a rateable value of less than £51,000, ending in 2021.
• This discount has automatically been applied to eligible ratepayer’s bills after the application of any reliefs, excluding any local discounts.
• If you believe you are entitled to this relief, please contact us directly at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 
• For further information read the Retail Relief guidance.