Business Rate Holiday for Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Businesses

Business rates support for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses

The Government will introduce a business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England for the 2020 to 2021 tax year.

There are two reliefs available for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, which are:

• A holiday from business rates for the 2020-2021 tax year. This applies to all businesses in these sectors.
• Cash grants;
  • £25,000 will be given to businesses in these sectors with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000 (in England)
  • £10,000 will be given to small businesses with a rateable value below £15,000 (in England)

Business rate relief will be administered by local authorities, which requires no action by you. Cash grants will be also be paid automatically, however, in Scotland, businesses will need to apply.

Your business will receive a new bill showing no business rates charged for the 2020-2021 tax year. Businesses that received the retail discount in the 2019 to 2020 tax year will be re-billed by their local authority as soon as possible.

Eligibility

You are eligible for the business rates holiday if:

• your business is based in England
• your business is in the retail, hospitality and/or leisure sector

Properties that will benefit from the relief will be occupied hereditaments that are wholly or mainly being used:

• as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues for assembly and leisure
• as hotels, guest & boarding premises and self-catering accommodation

How to access the scheme

There is no need for you to take any action. The new rates will be automatically applied to your next council tax bill in April 2020. However, local authorities may have to reissue your bill automatically to exclude the business rate charge. This will be actioned as soon as possible.

You can estimate the business rate charge you will no longer have to pay this year using the business rates calculator.