Discretionary Relief from business rates

Definition

Discretionary relief is available to non-profit making bodies and organisations whose main objectives are philanthropic, religious, concerned with education, social welfare, science, literature or the fine arts, and to non-profit making clubs, societies or similar bodies that are used mainly for the purposes of recreation.

Council's policy

The Council's discretionary rate relief policy seeks to sustain those non-profit making bodies that provide facilities of benefit to the local community and which have limited resources to raise additional finance. Grants of discretionary relief reflect relative merit of claims by allowing for a number of relief levels of say, 25%, 50% and 80%.

Top-up relief

Discretionary relief is also available to charities entitled to mandatory relief. This top-up relief to ratepayers already receiving mandatory relief is only allowed in exceptional circumstances.

Exceptional circumstances could include cases where payment of the rates, after deducting the mandatory relief, will jeopardise the future of the business or organisation, or where payment might prevent continuing occupation of the premises concerned, and where the loss of the facility would be against the interests of the community.

If you would like more information about Discretionary relief or any other reduction you can contact our business rate office.