The government has introduced a new scheme from April 2026, if your small business has been affected by the 2026 business rates revaluation.
Who qualifies for this relief
You may qualify for this relief if in 2026 you lose some or all of your:
- Small business rate relief
- Rural rate relief
- Retail hospitality and leisure relief
- or 2023 supporting small business relief
The relief does not apply to unoccupied properties, or to charities or community amateur sports clubs.
Amount of relief available
If you qualify for supporting small business relief, the increase in your bill in each financial year will be no more than the greater of the following:
- £800
- The cap in the table below, based on the rateable value of your property
| Rateable value | 2026/27 | 2027/28 | 2028/29 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £20,000 | 5% | 10% plus inflation | 25% plus inflation |
| £20,001 to £100,000 | 15% | 25% plus inflation | 40% plus inflation |
| Over £100,000 | 30% | 25% plus inflation | 25% plus inflation |
If you have lost small business rate relief, rural rate relief or retail hospitality and leisure relief, you will remain in the scheme for either three years or until you reach the maximum bill that you would have paid, if the scheme did not exist.
If you qualify for this relief because of the 2023 supporting small business scheme, the relief will apply in the 2026/27 financial year only.
How to apply
If you qualify for the supporting small business relief, it will be applied to your bill automatically.
If you believe you are eligible for supporting small business relief and it has not been applied to your bill, you can apply by filling in and returning our Supporting small businesses rate relief application form.
If you receive the relief, you will receive a bill showing your reduced business rates.
Subsidy
If you receive money from the supporting small business rate relief 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 this 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.
You can also contact our Business Rates team using the contact details below.
Policy
Supporting small business relief is a discretionary relief and will be awarded in line with our policy.
Our policy will be published in due course.
Contact us