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Business rates relief?


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Has anyone successfully got a reduction in their business rates following the attached which was sent to all local authorities at the start of the year?

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/395333/BRIL_1__-_2015__-__General_-_14_Jan.pdf

 

It's taken several months to get my local authority to consider it and they have finally responded with a flat "no", despite the fact that over 70% of our children are from one of the most deprived areas in the county.

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Hi Melba

 

If you don't mind sharing, where are you based and what sort of setting are you in? Is this something that you had previously or just since the directive in January?

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Hi

We are a charity set in a school site and were paying the rates to the school. Then the local authority sent someone to speak to us about it and said we would have to pay to them for the 3 years we have been in this site.

She said we could apply for the relief and when the bill came in (£15,000!) we did that and they agreed the relief fairly quickly.

As a charity the 80% seemed to be automatic but the extra 20% was only a maybe.

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I also pay no business rates,renew every year.......depends on your rateable value...I am in small village off main road,small rural nursery, so very glad they have extended for another week...my council Forest Heath xx

Sorry meant another year lol...bad day yesterday...we are being audited by LEA Monday...everything fine it is just the time organising everything for 9am in the Office for them to check....

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Thanks Melba - I think you are right about the 80% being automatic for charities. We are private, in a residential area on the outskirts of a largish town, and our rateable value means we do get a small business rate relief but nothing like that. I was trying to get it down to zero! I think if your actual rates are lower, it's more likely the council will look on it favourably - mine are almost £1000 per month.

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WOW £1000 per month!! Holy hell.. you must have large premises.

 

yes charities get 80% reduction which i feel is fair IF you actually only get donations and don't take fees, ie funding from the council for example or private paying customers.. if it is "not for profit" somebody is still getting paid a wage. If it is volunteers that you see ie. toddler groups where they open a few hours and children come along and play for a small donation, then it is understandable. If somebody is getting a wage or earning from it then it is a business right?!

 

Correct me if i am wrong of course.. and actually well done to you because we don't get anything for our Business Rates!

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WOW £1000 per month!! Holy hell.. you must have large premises.

 

yes charities get 80% reduction which i feel is fair IF you actually only get donations and don't take fees, ie funding from the council for example or private paying customers.. if it is "not for profit" somebody is still getting paid a wage. If it is volunteers that you see ie. toddler groups where they open a few hours and children come along and play for a small donation, then it is understandable. If somebody is getting a wage or earning from it then it is a business right?!

 

Correct me if i am wrong of course.. and actually well done to you because we don't get anything for our Business Rates!

 

 

 

We are a charity and yes, staff do get paid wages and some parents do pay fees. However, all our profits are ploughed straight back into the centre and we use them to

  • keep our fees below the market rate
  • provide additional charitable services to our families free of charge - such as welfare rights advice sessions/internet cafe with job search advice for parents/stay and play sessions/baby PEEP sessions
  • Invest heavily in staff training and support - including all apprentices and trainees employed over and above the ratio.
  • Provide free childcare for people waiting for tax credits and for refugees waiting for asylum
  • Provide free respite care for up to six weeks for families in need

So yes we are a community business but getting rate relief enables us to do all of the above. And we feel that we are entitled to be given different consideration than a business which makes profit for owners and shareholders.

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Yes it sounds wonderful, all the effort you put in and also in helping the community in such a way is very charitable.

 

I understand people can't provide these kind of additional services without financial support and i understand people need to afford to live or provide for their families at the same time.

 

Take a church for example, they put on services and take donations as much as possible for their upkeep and bills. I don't understand what funding if any is involved and yes they get business rates relief. All i know is for example here, there is a local club i go in that belongs to a Catholic parish church next door, and the vicar lives in a large house on the grounds and drives a fancy car. I presume the club helps to pay for the church along with donations.. ie a business that pays barstaff cleaners. The club does not pay business rates either..

 

Now i find this weird because the local pub down the road will pay business rates.

 

I fail to understand how it actually works exactly.. and i also fail to understand what we get for paying business rates?

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