Small business rate relief

This is based on the rateable value (RV) of your business. It is aimed at helping small businesses that are not entitled to another mandatory relief.

Who can apply

Businesses that occupy only one property in England and have an RV of less than £15,000. Your business may also qualify if you occupy one main property and other additional properties, providing that: 

• the additional properties do not have individual RVs of more than £2,899, and
• the combined RV of all the properties is under £20,000.

If you qualify when you occupy more than one property, you can only be granted relief on the main property. You will continue to receive the relief for 12 months even if you take on an extra property that increases the RV past £20,000.

Small business rate relief is funded by a supplement paid by other businesses.  Even if you are not entitled to the relief, you will not have to pay the supplement if your property has a rateable value above £15,000 but below £51,000.

How much relief you’ll get

Properties with an RV:

• of up to £12,000 will receive 100 per cent relief  
• between £12,000 and £15,000 receive tapered relief which reduces from 100 per cent at £12,000 to 0 per cent at £15,000.

How to apply

You can apply at any time, except if your RV has been reduced from over £51,000 to under £51,000. You must apply within one month of the day you were served with the notice of the RV reduction.

Contact us at business.rates@reading.gov.uk to apply