Guidance for rate relief in Budget published

Chancellor Philip Hammond announced in the Budget in October that businesses with a rateable value of under £51K will recieve a one-third discount on their rates bills. Further guidance has now been published and this will affect many of our members.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published further details and stated that the discount will be available to eligible businesses for periods of 2019/20 and 2020/21.

The guidance recognises the inclusion of petrol forecourts and post offices as falling within the definition of businesses that are "wholly or mainly being used as shops, restaurants, cafes and drinking establishments" although the exact eligibility of the criteria will be down to local authorities.

It is hoped that this discount will help ease the financial burdens of businesses in the coming years.

The full details can be found here.