Rate Relief

Retail Discount

At Autumn Budget 2018, the Government announced a one-third discount for eligible retail businesses with a rateable value of less than £51,000, up to state aid limits. This scheme will run for two years from April 2019. This discount will be applied to the bill after the application of any reliefs, excluding any local discounts.

The Government has issued guidance on the operation of the scheme, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-retail-discount-guidance .

This relief will be delivered through local authority discretionary discount powers (under section 47(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988). Further information can be obtained from the Revenues Section by telephone on (01429) 284277 oy by e-mail to businessrates@hartlepool.gov.uk.

Small Business Rate Relief Scheme

If you have a small business which has a rateable value of under £15,000 you may be entitled to a reduction in your bill.

If the rateable value of your business is under £12,000 you will receive 100% discount

If the rateable value is between £12,000 and £14,999 you will receive discount on a sliding scale.

To qualify, you must occupy only one business premises or, if you have more than one, the combined rateable value must be less than £20,000 and the other property(s) must have a rateable Value under £2,900.

From 14 February 2014, if a business occupies an additional property which would usually disqualify them from receiving relief they will continue to receive their existing relief for one year.

If you are granted Small Business Rate Relief, provided you continue to satisfy the conditions for relief which apply at the relevant time, you will not need to re-apply for the relief. However, certain changes in circumstances must be notified to the Council.
These are:

 

  • If you take up occupation of a property you did not occupy at the time of making your application for relief.
  • An increase in Rateable Value of a property that you occupy in an area other than Hartlepool.

 

You can download a Small Business Rate Relief Form

Charitable Rate Relief

Relief Charities are entitled to 80% rate relief on non-domestic property, which is wholly or mainly occupied for the purposes of the charity. This mandatory relief is also available to community amateur sports clubs. In addition these organisations may make an application for discretionary rate relief.
 
The Council also has the discretion to remit all or part of the remaining 20% of a charity's bill.
 
This discretionary power also allows the Council to remit all or part of any rate bill for property occupied by certain bodies not established or conducted for profit.
 
Non profit making organisations may also make an application for discretionary rate relief. Applications for discretionary relief must be received and agreed by the Council within six months of the end of the year if the relief is to be backdated.
 

You can download a Charitable Rate Relief form to print out and return.

Covid-19 Additional Relief Grant (CARF)

The Government recently announced a new COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund to support those businesses affected by the pandemic but who are ineligible for existing support linked to Business Rates.

Relief is granted under Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, and will be awarded to qualifying businesses to reduce Business Rate bills for 2021-2022. It will be applied after mandatory and other discretionary reliefs, and will be paid directly to Business Rate accounts.

Relief will be awarded to the value of 55% of the net Business Rates liability up to a cap of £20,000.

The Eligibility Criteria is as follows:

  • According to the billing authority’s records, the business must have been liable for Business Rates and have been in continuous occupation for the period 1 April 2021 to 15 December 2021 (other than those which have become closed temporarily due to the government’s advice on COVID-19)
  • The business must not for the same period have received or been eligible for the Expanded Retail Relief, covering Retail, Hospitality and Leisure
  • The business will have been adversely affected by the pandemic, will have been unable to adequately adapt to that impact, and will have subsequently been financially impacted. The Council has measured this impact with reference to the governments Gross Value Added as a proxy for the impacts of Covid-19 on each business sector, with a 5% detrimental impact eligible for this scheme.
  • The business must be trading between 1 April 2021 and 15 December 2021, and must not be in liquidation, dissolved, struck off, or subject to a striking-off notice or under notice.
  • Relief will apply to those businesses in respect of those hereditaments that would normally be occupied by a staff workforce (and therefore excludes hereditaments that cannot be occupied).
  • Relief will not apply to;
    • Any public body or sector that predominantly provide contracted government services;
    • Veterinary services
    • Funeral parlour and services
  • Where there is reason to believe that the information held by Hartlepool Borough Council is inaccurate, relief can be withheld or removed.

If you have not received a credit onto your business rates account but think you qualify using the criteria listed above then please contact the Business Rates Team by emailing businessrates@hartlepool.gov.uk. You must quote your Business Rates account number in your email and the reason why you think you qualify.

Please note there is a deadline of 30th June 2022 for applications.