If you occupy a building with a rateable value under £15,000 you can get a discount on business rates, called small business rate relief.

Small business rate relief is on a sliding scale:

  • properties with a rateable value of up to £12,000 get 100% relief
  • for properties with a rateable value between £12,001 and £15,000, relief goes down gradually from 100% at £12,001 to 0% at £15,000

If you're in more than one building

You can still get small business rate relief if your main building has a rateable value less than £15,000, your other buildings each have a rateable value below £2,900, and the total of all buildings is less than £20,000.

The relief is calculated on the rateable value of the main building only.

If you're already in receipt of Small Business Rate Relief and you occupy a second property you can keep your existing relief for one year by advising the Business Rate Team: business.rates@bristol.gov.uk

Apply for small business rate relief

If your rateable value is between £15,000 and £51,000

If your rateable value is under £51,000 you're considered a small business and you'll pay lower rates even if you don't get small business rate relief.

This is because your rates are worked out using the small business multiplier.

You don't need to apply for this. Well automatically adjust your business rates if you qualify.

You can see the current multipliers on the Valuation Office Agency website Go to http://www.2010.voa.gov.uk/rli/static/HelpPages/English/faqs/faq146-what_are_the_current_multipliers.html (opens new window).

Find out how business rates are calculated from multipliers.