Business rates reductions

Business owners may be eligible for reductions in their business rates. The council provides advice on eligibility for rate reductions and will provide application forms and process applications for reductions.

Examples of reductions are:

Small business rate relief (SBRR)

If you occupy one business rates premises only and your property has a rateable value of £25,499 or less you may be eligible for a reduction in your charges. Other qualifying factors also apply. 

The amount of relief applied to your account will vary depending on the amount of your rateable value e.g. a property with a rateable value of £6,000 or less would receive the maximum relief which is 50 percent (reducing on a percentage basis thereafter).

Please note that for the period 01/10/2010-30/09/2011 additional SBBR is available but from 01/10/2011 the amount of relief is reduced to the above level.  The relief for the period 01/10/2010-30/09/2011 is approximately twice the usual amount.  Where SBRR has been awarded details will be shown on your rate demand.

IMPORTANT: In the March 2011 budget it was announced that the temporary increase in SBRR will be extended for a further year.

Budget announcement letter March 2011 (.doc 119kb)

Find out more about the small business rate relief application form and FAQs (word.doc 105kb) or contact the business rates team on 020 7364 5010 for advice

Charity relief

Charities and registered community amateur sports clubs are entitled to apply for an 80 percent reduction in the charge. Additional relief on the remaining bill can be awarded at the discretion of the local authority. Non-profit making organisations may also be entitled to relief which is also at the discretion of the local authority.

Transitional relief

The transitional relief scheme limits the amount that a bill can be increased or decreased following a revaluation (change to rateable value) which takes place every five years. These adjustments will be shown in detail on the front of your bill if your property is eligible for transitional relief

Empty properties

If a property is empty and unfurnished business rates will not be payable for the first three months. In the case of industrial properties this is extended to six months. After this the full rate becomes due and payable.

Empty properties with a rateable value less than £2,600 are exempt from empty property rate.

There are other empty property rate exemptions. Details are available from the Revenue Services team

Partly occupied relief

Where a property is partly occupied the full rate remains payable in most cases. However where it is partly occupied for a short time the council has discretion in certain cases to award relief for the unoccupied part for up to 3 months (6 months for industrial properties).

Hardship relief

A hardship claim can be submitted to the local authority who will consider each case on its individual circumstances and with regard to the interests of the council tax payers.

Further information

To find out if your property is eligible for any of the above contact the revenue services team:

London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Revenues Services
Town Hall
5th Floor Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London
E14 2BG

Show map

Tel:  020 7364 5010
Fax: 020 7364 4456
Email businessrates@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Please quote your Rate account number in your email

Download explanatory notes for non domestic rates (Word doc 182K)

Businesslink provides information on business rates and links to the VOA and ODPM web sites where you can get more detailed information.