From 1 April 2017 the qualifying thresholds for small business rates relief have changed.

This means that the small business rate relief scheme now provides a maximum of 100 per cent mandatory rate relief for properties with a rateable value up to £12,000, with relief declining on a sliding scale until, at a rateable value of £15,000, there is no entitlement.

If you are occupying only one property with a rateable value of below £12,000 you will pay no rates at all;

If you are occupying only one property with a rateable value of between £12,000 and £15,000 you will benefit from a discount on your bill; 

Eligible ratepayers with rateable values below £51,000 will have their bills calculated using the small business multiplier

If you use more than one property

When you get a second property, you’ll keep getting any existing relief on your main property for 12 months.

You can still get small business rate relief on your main property after this if both the following apply:

• none of your other properties have a rateable value above £2,899
• the total rateable value of all your properties is less than £20,000