Business rates relief

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Improvement relief

You might get improvement relief if you make certain improvements to your property. If you’re eligible, you’ll get the relief for one year. It starts from when you complete your improvements.

Eligibility

Any improvements you make must:

They must also either:

  • increase the size of your property

  • add new features or equipment to your property, such as heating, air conditioning or CCTV

Any improvements to existing features or equipment do not qualify.

You must have occupied the property during and after the improvement works to get improvement relief. You cannot pass on your improvement relief to anybody else.

What you’ll get

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) will decide how much relief you get based on your property’s ‘rateable value’ and the type of improvements you’ve made.

How to get improvement relief

You do not need to apply for improvement relief. The VOA will be told if you’ve made an improvement to your property and will decide if you qualify for improvement relief.

If you qualify, the VOA will send a certificate to you and your local council showing:

  • the property’s new rateable value

  • how much improvement relief you’re getting

  • when the relief ends

Once your local council has confirmed you were occupying the property, you’ll get a reduced business rates bill.

If you think you should be getting improvement relief but are not

Contact your local council if you’re not getting improvement relief and you think you’re eligible for it.

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