Rate relief
Types of rate relief
If you pay business rates, you may be eligible for rate relief. There are several rate relief schemes available.
From 1 April 2025 the Government will provide 40% retail, hospitality and leisure relief to occupied eligible properties in England up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business (together with any other business in the same group).
The relief will be applied for the 2025/26 financial year only. Details of types of properties that are eligible for the relief can be found on Gov.UK website.
The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme is also subject to the Minimal Financial Assistance limits of £315,000 over three years (including 2025/26).
Covid business grants received from Local Government and any other subsidy claimed under the Minimal Financial Assistance or Small Amounts of Financial Assistance over the three year period are included.
In most cases 2025/2026 bills will include the relief. All businesses will be asked to check their eligibility to this relief and to notify us if they either are in breach of the cash cap or have received more than the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance or Minimal Financial Assistance limits of £315,000 over three years (including 2025/26).
If you wish to opt out from this relief or make an application then email ndr@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.
The Rural Settlement List is used as the basis for granting rural rate relief to certain businesses situated in rural areas. The types of business that benefit from the relief are general stores, Post Offices, Public Houses, food shops and petrol filling stations. Other rural businesses may also qualify. We have reviewed the contents of our Rural Settlement List and we are making alterations to the List to take effect from 1 April 2016.
From 1 April 2023 the Government will provide a Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme (SSBR) to help those ratepayers who as a result of the change in their rateable value at the revaluation are losing some or all of their Small Business, Mandatory Rural Rate Relief or 2017 SSBR and, as a result, are facing large increases in their bills. Charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs, who are already entitled to mandatory 80% relief, are not eligible for 2023 SSBR.
To support ratepayers, 2023 SSBR will ensure that the increase in the bills will be limited to a cash value of £600 per year in certain circumstances. This cash maximum increase ensures that ratepayers do not face large bill increases in 2023/24 after transitional relief and small business rate relief (as applicable) have been applied.
The scheme will last for three years 2023/24, 2024/25 and 2025/26. However, any business receiving 2017 SSBR in 2022/23 will only be eligible to receive relief in 2023/24 so this will end on 31 March 2024.
All other eligible ratepayers remain in 2023 SSBR for the three years or until they reach the bill they would have paid without the scheme. A change of ratepayers will not affect eligibility for the Supporting Small Business scheme, but eligibility will be lost if the property falls vacant or becomes occupied by a charity or Community Amateur Sports Club.
If eligible the relief will automatically be applied to your bill. All businesses will be asked to check their eligibility to this relief and to notify us if they either are in breach of the cash cap or have received more than the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance or Minimal Financial Assistance limits of £315,000 over three years (including 2025/26).
If you wish to opt out from this relief then please email ndr@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.
You can complete a rate relief for sport application form Rate relief for sport application form (PDF, 142KB and email to our business rates team on ndr@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
Applications must be made in writing to the business rates office (see 'where to find help' at the bottom of this page). We can only grant hardship relief if it is satisfied that the ratepayer would sustain hardship if the authority did not do so and it would be reasonable to do so, having regard to the interests of people subject to Council Tax.
Applications must be made in writing to the business rates office. Relief would primarily be considered only for ratepayers who have difficulty in occupying or vacating premises at one time and have to do so over a phased period. Relief can only be awarded for a short period.
If you occupy only one business premises in England and the rateable value is up to £12,000 you are eligible for rate relief.
- if the property you occupy has a rateable value of up to £12,000 you will qualify for 100% relief
- if the property has a rateable value between £12,001 and £14,999 you will receive relief on a sliding scale
- businesses now able to take one an additional property and retain SBRR on their first property for 12 months
Charities and non profit making organisations may be eligible for rate relief.
For further information on business rates relief please refer to the Business Rates Discretionary Rate Relief Policy 2025-26 (PDF, 237KB).
Where to find help
- Email: ndr@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
- By post: Revenues and Benefits (Business Rates Office), PO Box 187, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH34 9DB