Business rates reliefs and reductions

You can get small business rate relief if:

• your property's rateable value is less than £15,000
• your business only uses one property - you may still be able to get relief if you use more.

How to apply

Call: 01483 523522 

Email: NNDR@waverley.gov.uk 

You could get rural rate relief if your business is in a rural area with a population below 3,000.

Charities and community amateur sports clubs can apply for charitable rate relief of up to 80% if a property is used for charitable purposes.

You could qualify for retail discount if your business is a:

• shop
• restaurant, café, bar or pub
• cinema or music venue
• hospitality or leisure business - for example, a gym, a spa, a casino or a hotel.

What you’ll get

Retail discount 2025/2026

The retail discount for 2025/2026 is 40%. The relief will be capped at £110,000 per business. The discount will be included in your business rates bill for 2025/2026, if you received it in 2024/2025.

Relief will be provided to eligible occupied retail, hospitality and leisure properties in 2025/26. 

In line with the conditions set by the government, a ratepayer may only claim up to £110,000 of support under the 2025/26 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme for all of their eligible hereditaments. This cash cap applies at a Group company level (so holding companies and subsidiaries cannot claim up to the cash cap for each company) and also to organisations which, although not a company, have such an interest in a company that they would, if they were a company, result in its being the holding company.

Furthermore, the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme is subject to the Minimal Financial Assistance limits under the Subsidy Control Act. This means no recipient can receive over £315,000 over a 3-year period (consisting of the current financial year and the 2 previous financial years). Covid business grants received from local government and any other subsidy claimed under the Minimal Financial Assistance or Small Amounts of Financial Assistance limit over the 3-year period should be counted.

Retail discount 2023/2024 and 2024/2025

The retail discount for 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 is 75%. The relief will be capped at £110,000 per business. The discount will be included in your business rates bill for 2024/2025, if you received it in 2023/2024.

You can opt out of the discount for each property at any time until 30 April 2024.

If you opt out of the retail discount for the 2023 to 2024 tax year you cannot change your mind.

Retail discount 2022 to 2023

The retail discount for 2022 to 2023 was 50%. The relief was capped at £110,000 per business. The discount was included in business rates bills for 2022 to 2023.

Retail discount 2021 to 2022

The rates of retail discount for 2021 to 2022 were:

• 100% from 1 April 2021 to 30 June 2021
• 66% from 1 July to 31 March 2022

From 1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022, relief was capped at £105,000 per business, or £2 million per business where the business was in occupation of a property that was required, or would have been required, to close, based on the law and guidance applicable on 5 January 2021.

How to apply

Call 01483 523522

Email NNDR@waverley.gov.uk

You don't have to pay business rates on empty buildings for three months. After this time, most businesses must pay full business rates.

Some properties can get extended empty property relief:

• industrial premises (for example warehouses) are exempt for a further three months
• listed buildings - until they're reoccupied
• buildings with a rateable value under £2,900 - until they're reoccupied
• properties owned by charities - only if the property's next use will be mostly for charitable purposes
• community amateur sports clubs buildings - only if the next use will be mostly as a sports club.

If your business only occupies part of a property, you may also be eligible for some rate relief.  Please call us on 01483 523522 to discuss your circumstances.

You will be liable to pay the full rate after the exemption period ends.

How to apply

Call: 01483 523522 

Email: NNDR@waverley.gov.uk

We can reduce your business rates bill with hardship relief.

To be eligible, you must prove that both:

• you would be in financial difficulties without it
• giving hardship relief to you is in the interests of local people. For example, because you are the only provider of a service in the area.

We grant Hardship Relief as an exception rather than a rule.

How to apply

Call: 01483 523522 

Email: NNDR@waverley.gov.uk

When a property is due to be demolished you will need to speak to the Valuation Office as well as the Business Rates Team at Waverley.

The Valuation Office is responsible for removing the premises from the rating list, we cannot determine when the premises will be removed.  

Contact

Valuation Office Agency

Valuation Office Agency

Waverley Business Rates team

Call: 01483 523522 

Email: NNDR@waverley.gov.uk