Retail Rate Relief

At the Budget on 27 October 2021, the chancellor announced that eligible ratepayers will receive 50% relief on their business rates bills for the year 2022/23 up to a maximum cash cap of £110,000.

Read details of the revised scheme. Relief will be provided to eligible occupied retail, hospitality and leisure properties in 2022/23.

In line with the conditions set by the government, a ratepayer may only claim up to £110,000 of support under the 2022/23 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme for all of their eligible hereditaments. This cash cap applies at a Group company level (so holding companies and subsidiaries cannot claim up to the cash cap for each company) and also to organisations which, although not a company, have such an interest in a company that they would, if they were a company, result in its being the holding company.

Furthermore, the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme is subject to the subsidies chapter within the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). The subsidies chapter within the TCA only applies to subsidies over the value of approximately £343,000 per beneficiary over a three-year period (consisting of the current financial year and the two previous financial years) (the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance limit).

Extended Retail Discounts granted in 2020/21 or 2021/22 do not count towards the limit. Covid business grants received from local government and any other subsidy claimed under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance limit over the three-year period should be counted.

Therefore, to be eligible to the 50% Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief you must not have exceeded either the £110,000 cash cap for 2022/23 or the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance limit of £343,000 over three years (including 2022/23).

If you have automatically been allocated retail relief and you believe that you may not be entitled, please notify our Business Rate section on 01744 676789, email businessrates@sthelens.gov.uk or post to St Helens Borough Council - Business Rates, PO Box 10592, Nottingham NG6 6DP.

Applications for this year's scheme must be made by 30 September 2023.

As part of the government's support plan, as outlined in the 2022 Autumn Statement, the 50% relief will be increased to 75% for the 2023/24 period up to a maximum cash cap of £110,000. Full details are awaited.