Business rates

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This discussion was created from comments split from: Welcome to the new Forum!.

Paulbarrie

Hi can anyone help. We run a limited company and operate from a home office. Our business is a service apartment company so do not pay business rates as we pay normal council tax on each property. Will we be able to apply for the Coronavirus 10k government grant? As it look like it is only for companies that pay business rates 

SharedTltd

Hi. We are in the same boat. We run a day care centre from a cabin in our garden and pay normal council tax rather than business rates. Our accountant has suggested using our council tax number where the grant application form calls for the "business rates" number.  Does anyone have more information about this?

Jeremy535897

You can read the full guidance below, but the short answer is that you cannot claim, I'm afraid.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/877286/small-business-grant-fund-and-retail-guidance-v3.pdf

CIS

Our accountant has suggested using our council tax number where the grant application form calls for the "business rates" number.

Your accountant is wrong in that respect - you can put the council tax number all you like it will make no difference as the property in question is not shown on the relevant ratings list as non-domestic.

To claim the grant the property needs to be rated for Non Domestic Rates - the valuation office agency are responsible for this determination. Use of a home office does not typically provide enough usage to cross the line over in  to non-domestic use however if you have a dedicated part of the property, used only for business, and essentially separate to the residential part of the property then you may tip the balance in to business rates.

You need to speak with the valuation office agency but don't expect that the assessment will be made any time soon.

Jeremy535897

CIS said:

To claim the grant the property needs to be rated for Non Domestic Rates - the valuation office agency are responsible for this determination. Use of a home office does not typically provide enough usage to cross the line over in  to non-domestic use however if you have a dedicated part of the property, used only for business, and essentially separate to the residential part of the property then you may tip the balance in to business rates.

You need to speak with the valuation office agency but don't expect that the assessment will be made any time soon.

It won't help if you do, because it had to be on the rating list at 11 March 2020.

MrPez

Jeremy535897 said:

It won't help if you do, because it had to be on the rating list at 11 March 2020.

Wouldn't the rates and relief be backdated though? And surely if they qualify the grant would be backdated too?

Jeremy535897

"38.Any changes to the rating list (rateable value or to the hereditament) after the 11 March 2020 including changes which have been backdated to this date should be ignored for the purposes of eligibility. 39.Local Authorities are not required to adjust, pay or recover grants where the rating list is subsequently amended retrospectively to the 11 March 2020. "

MrPez

Oh, shame   

nikkidrew0902

I own a business that is a limited company but I pay my business rates to the landlord and not direct to the council and have been told therefore I am eligible for no support and the grants for leisure businesses which I should get. The council advised to write to my MP which I did and she replied saying due to a high number of people writing with the same issues the Chancellor us looking into changing this, so it might be worth dropping an e-mail to your local MP. The more people that flag it the better I guess?

mattyprice4004

nikkidrew0902 said:

I own a business that is a limited company but I pay my business rates to the landlord and not direct to the council and have been told therefore I am eligible for no support and the grants for leisure businesses which I should get. The council advised to write to my MP which I did and she replied saying due to a high number of people writing with the same issues the Chancellor us looking into changing this, so it might be worth dropping an e-mail to your local MP. The more people that flag it the better I guess?

It's something that's been raised on a few forums I'm on, but it looks unlikely this will be changed unfortunately.