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've occupied a second property since 27 November 2025, which would mean you no longer qualify for small business rate relief, you'll continue to receive your existing relief for 3 years from the date you occupied that second property.
This extends the previous one year grace period that was announced in the Autumn 2025 Budget.
Apply for small business rate relief
Contact us using our general enquiry form if:
- you've received a review form and have a query
- you're already in receipt of a small business rate relief and you occupy a second property and want to keep your existing relief for one year
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. We'll 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.