Business Rates Reliefs

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.

Business Rates discounts

In his budget on 3 March 2021, the Chancellor announced the 100% Business Rates holiday had been extended until 30 June 2021. This means, eligible businesses - namely retail, leisure and hospitality businesses - will pay nothing for another three months from 1 April 2021.

After that they will receive a two thirds discount. This will be capped at £2 million per business for properties that were required to be closed on 5 January 2021, or £105,000 per business for other eligible properties.

We are waiting for more information about how this will affect billing for the 2021/22 financial year. We will update this page with more information when we have it.

Advice and support

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, read the pdf 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 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 pdf 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 pdf Rural Settlement list (196 KB)  is available on our website or in our contact centres at Pershore, Evesham and Drotwich.

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 pdf 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.

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

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

Discretionary Scheme

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

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. 

Newspaper relief

Office space occupied by local newspapers can get a discount of up to £1,500 per year until 31 March 2025.

Newspaper relief can be claimed up to a maximum of one discount per local newspaper title and per property and up to state aid limits.