Reductions (relief)
Unoccupied property rating
Property that has been empty for more than three months – or in the case of industrial property and stores, for more than six months – will no longer receive relief from rates. Therefore, after the initial three or six month rate-free period expires, empty property will be liable for 100% of the occupied business rate.
Most current exemptions from empty rate will continue to apply and some properties such as those that are listed or whose values are below the specified threshold will continue to be completely exempt when empty. The government has changed this threshold and with effect from 1 April 2011, the threshold value is £2,600.
Charitable and discretionary relief
Charities are entitled to relief from rates on any non-domestic property which is wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes. Relief is given at 80 per cent of the full rate bill or of the transitional bill where the transitional arrangements apply. Billing authorities have discretion to remit all or part of the remaining 20 per cent of a charity's bill on such property. Authorities also have discretion to remit all or part of any rate bill in respect of property occupied by certain bodies not established or conducted for profit.
If you wish to apply for the above relief please e-mail the business rates department at businessrates@barnet.gov.uk requesting the relevant form. Please include your business rates account reference number and the name and address of your organisation.
Small business rate relief
From April 2005, small businesses with a rateable value of less than £21,500 in the Greater London area, or £15,000 outside of Greater London, may claim small business rates relief. If you qualify your rate bill will be calculated using a lower multiplier. In addition, you may also get a further 50% reduction if your rateable value is less than £5000 and a reduction of between 1% and 49% if the rateable value is between £5000 and £9,999.
Application form
To apply for this relief, please download and complete the application form below. Further details about the relief and the criteria which must be met are detailed on the form.
- Small business rate relief guidance sheet
(PDF 67KB)
Email this pageLast modified by: Heidi Kontos on 20/04/2011