Business rate reductions

Exempted buildings

Certain properties are exempt from business rates, these include:

• agricultural land and buildings, including fish farms
• use of buildings for training or welfare of disabled people
• buildings registered for public religious worship or church halls

Empty properties

You don’t have to pay business rates on empty (unoccupied) buildings for three
months. After this time, most businesses must pay full business rates, unless the
empty property rate has been reduced by the Government. If this applies you will see
it on the front of your bill.

Some properties can get extended empty property relief:

•  industrial premises (eg warehouses) are exempt for a further three months
• listed buildings - until they are reoccupied
• buildings with a rateable value under £2,600 - until they are reoccupied
• properties owned by charities (only if the property’s next use will be mostly for charitable purposes)
• community amateur sports clubs buildings (only if the next use will be mostly as a sports club)

Partly occupied property

If your property is partly occupied for a short time you can ask us to consider
applying rate relief for the empty part of the property. Please contact us explaining
the reasons.