Until 31 March 2026 there was a business rates discount for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses.
This scheme has been abolished for 2026/27
Retail, hospitality and leisure relief was abolished from 1 April 2026.
Instead, we now calculate bills for retail, hospitality and leisure business using lower business rates multipliers. Please see our business rates changes for 2026/27 page for more information about what that could mean for your business and what support is available.
About the business rates discount
The government provided a business rates discount for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure businesses up until the end of 2025/26.
The amount of business rates relief that the government has offered changed over time:
| Financial year | Amount of discount available under this scheme |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 50% relief |
| 2023/24 | 75% relief |
| 2024/25 | 75% relief |
| 2025/26 | 40% relief |
The most you could get in relief each billing year was £110,000 per business.
Please visit GOV.UK - Business rate relief for further information on this discount provided by the government.
How to qualify for the discount
To be qualify for this discount, your retail premises must have been occupied and been wholly or mainly used as a:
- Shop
- Restaurant, café, bar or pub
- Cinema or music venue
- Hospitality or leisure business - for example, a gym, a spa, a hotel or tourist attraction
- Community hall or clubhouse for members of the public
You can also see our Retail, hospitality and leisure business rates scheme policy for more information.
Applying for the discount
This discount has now been abolished. However, we can still consider retrospective applications for previous financial years. Please email businessrates@rushmoor.gov.uk.
You can also apply by filling in and returning our Retail Relief Discount application form.
If you have a retail, hospitality and leisure business, your bill should be calculated using the retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier from April 2026. Please contact us if this does not appear on your bill.
Subsidy
If you receive money from this scheme, it is likely that it will be seen as a subsidy from the government.
That means that you will need to make sure you meet the UK’s domestic and international subsidy control rules around the payment.
Please read through the guidance from the Department for Business and trade Energy to understand more about the subsidy rules and how it may affect your business.
If you have automatically received this discount and would like to opt-out of the discount scheme or require further details, then please notify our business rates team using the contact details below.
Contact us