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Reductions to business rates

Some organisations or businesses may be entitled to business rates relief under certain circumstances. Application forms and further details can be obtained by contacting the Business Rates office.

Charities and similar organisations

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% of the rates payable. The Council also has discretion to allow relief on all or part of the remaining 20% of the charity's bill. The Council also has discretion to allow relief on all or part of the rate bill for property occupied by organisations not established or conducted for profit, e.g. sports clubs and community associations.

Unoccupied properties

Where a non-domestic property is unoccupied and not in use, for the first three months there is no charge in respect of retail premises or in the case of industrial premises this period is extended to six months. (This assumes that the property was previously occupied for at least 6 weeks). Unoccupied properties that have a Rateable Value of less than £15,000 up to the 31 March 2010 or £18,000 from the 1 April 2010 will remain exempt. 

Partly occupied property

If a property is temporarily only partly occupied, e.g. where a company phases its removal from one premises to another, relief may be allowed on the empty part. The Council can ask the Valuation Office to split the rateable value between the occupied and unoccupied parts. The rates payable on each part are worked out so that the ratepayer pays the full rates for the occupied part and receives relief for the unoccupied part as appropriate. This relief is granted either to the end of the financial year or to the date on which the property ceases to be partly occupied.

Businesses in rural settlements

The occupier of a rural General Store, Post Office, Public House or Petrol Station may be entitled to 50% relief from their rates bill where the Rateable Value is less than a specified amount and there is only one business of that type in the rural settlement.

Small business rate relief

From 1st April 2005, where a business is the sole business of that person or company in England and the Rateable Value is below £15,000 up to 31 March 2010 or £18,000 after the 1 April 2010 you may be able to apply for a reduction in the rates bill. The level of reduction will depend on the actual Rateable Value with those properties having lower values receiving a greater reduction (up to a maximum of 50%). For more information, please contact the Business Rates office.