Business Rates
Reliefs and Discounts
We will automatically apply certain reliefs to your bill – this includes empty property relief, and transitional relief. If you think any of these reliefs should be applied to your bill but are not, please let us know.
Small Business Rate Relief
You can get small business rate relief if:
- your property’s rateable value is less than £15,000 and
- your business uses only one property – although if the combined rateable value of other properties is less than £20,000 and
- none of the other properties are rated over 2,899, you may still qualify.
Apply for small business rate relief
Charities
Registered charities that are using non-domestic premises wholly or mainly for the purpose or objective of the charity can claim 80% relief if certain conditions are met. The charity must be:
- A registered charity or trustees for a registered charity, registered with the Charity Commission under Section 4 of the Charities Act 1960; and
- The property must be used wholly, or mainly, for charitable purposes.
If the property is empty, this mandatory relief can be claimed if, when next in use, the property will be used wholly or mainly for charitable purposes by that charity or that charity and other charities.
Community Amateur Sports Clubs
Sports clubs can claim 80% relief by applying for Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC) status. This can be done through the HM Revenues and Customs website.
Not-for-profit Organisations
A not-for-profit organisation may not be registered as a charity but may be treated as a charity/not-for-profit for UK tax purposes which may entitle the organisation to mandatory rate relief of up to 80% under this scheme.
Whilst Charity shops are conducted for profitable purposes to provide income for the charitable organisation, relief can be granted provided that the goods sold are wholly or mainly donated to the charity.
Part occupied properties
Where a property is partly occupied for a short time, for example when a phased occupation takes place or where there is on-going refurbishment, we have the discretion to award relief of up to 100% in respect of the unoccupied part.
To calculate the rates on each part, we can ask the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to revalue the property to accurately apportion the rateable value between the occupied and unoccupied areas of the property.
If agreed, the rates on each part will be calculated so that full rates are charged on the occupied part and empty rates are charged on the unoccupied part.
Rate reductions will only apply for up to three months for commercial premises and six months for industrial premises. After that, the full charge will be reapplied (unless the empty part is otherwise exempt).
Hardship
The Non Domestic Rates Hardship Scheme is available to all ratepayers in Hyndburn who may be suffering exceptional hardship.
The Non Domestic Rates Hardship Scheme may provide temporary financial assistance to rate payers by reducing their Non Domestic Rates liability. The operation of this scheme is at the total discretion of Hyndburn Borough Council.
There is no statutory right to awards from the scheme, although the Council will consider all applications which have been properly made. Please contact us for further details.
Our Non Domestic Rates Mandatory, Discretionary and Hardship Relief Policy is available on our website to download in full