Business rate relief and debt advice

Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sector do not have to pay business rates between 1 April 2021 and 30 June 2021. Rate bills will be adjusted automatically and you do not have to apply for this relief.

Ratepayers may choose to opt out of support by sending an email to their local Buckinghamshire Council business rates support team using the following contact details and giving notification of their request to refuse support. Use the words “opting out” in the subject line.

In addition businesses in this sector may also be eligible for a further 66% reduction in rates between 1 July 2021 and 31 March 2022. This applies to all of these businesses regardless of their size or rateable value.

This includes:

• shops
• pubs
• theatres
• music venues
• restaurants
• sports clubs
• village halls and bingo halls
• estate agents and letting agents

Eligible businesses will be invited to apply for the 66% rates discount in June. Cash limits have been set by the government on the total amount of eligible relief any single business and its subsidiaries can receive. The cash limit is £2m for closed businesses and £105,000 for open businesses.

Full details including a detailed list of eligible businesses can be found at GOV.UK: business rates expanded retail discount 2021 to 2022.

Other business rate reliefs are available, more details can be found on our business rates webpage.