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Open nowRegional grantVerified 6 Nov 2026

Small business rate relief

Local councils in England, under national rules set by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Check if you qualifyFree to check · no sign-up · full report £19.95

Worth

Up to £5,184

Tax relief

Deadline

Rolling - no fixed deadline

Type of funding

Tax relief

Where

England

What it is

A business rates discount, not a grant: in England, a business using one property with a rateable value of £12,000 or less pays no business rates, tapering to no relief at £15,000. Your local council applies it to your bill.

Checked 6 Nov 2026 on gov.uk: 100% relief up to £12,000 rateable value, tapering to 0% at £15,000, for 2026-27. Announced at the 28 Oct 2026 Budget for 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2029: retail, hospitality and leisure thresholds rise to £18,000 (full) and £21,000 (taper), vape shops are excluded, and the second-property limit becomes £29,999. Regulations not yet published.

Official source

Who can apply

A summary of the main rules, not the full list. Local councils in England, under national rules set by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government decides who is eligible, so read their guidance before you apply. The free scan checks these against your own business.

  • Business based in England
  • You own or rent business premises (rates relief is on the property's bill)

You cannot apply if

  • Premises with a rateable value over £15,000
Read the full rules at the official source

How to apply, in brief

The business contacts its local council's business rates team, which decides and applies the relief to the bill.

  1. 1Find your rateable value
  2. 2Check the rules if you have more than one property
  3. 3Contact your local council
  4. 4Challenge a wrong rateable value
  5. 5Check supporting small business relief if you lost relief in April 2026

The full guide, with what to do at each step, the official link for it and a draft to work from, is part of the £19.95 report.

Common questions

Is Small business rate relief open for applications?
Yes. It is open for applications, with no fixed deadline.
How much is Small business rate relief worth?
Up to £5,184. It is a tax relief, and the funder decides what each applicant receives.
Who runs Small business rate relief, and where is it available?
Local councils in England, under national rules set by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government runs it. It is available in England.
How do I apply for Small business rate relief?
The business contacts its local council's business rates team, which decides and applies the relief to the bill.

Does your business qualify?

Eligibility rules are where schemes get fiddly. Gov Owed checks your business against Small business rate relief — and every other UK scheme we track — in about two minutes, free. The £19.95 report then explains exactly why you qualify, drafts your answers and walks you through the real application step by step.

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Information, not financial advice; eligibility is decided by the funder. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Schemes change — confirm details on the official page before applying.