Business rates and support grants in Scotland
Business rates and support grants in Scotland
Business rates and support grants
The Government has provided £20 billion of business rates support by introducing:
- 100% business rates relief (a business rates holiday) in 2020/21 to all businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, including sports clubs, regardless of the rateable value of your business premises. Further information issued to local councils by Government is available here.*
- In addition to the rates relief, the hospitality, retail and leisure businesses with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000 (please note, this is the rateable value and not the amount paid each year for business rates) can be provided with a one-off grant of up to £25,000. If businesses are interested in receiving a one-off grant and want to check eligibility or apply then enquiries should be directed to the relevant local authority.
- Providing one-off grants of up to £10,000 to small business owners, who are currently eligible for Small Business Rate Relief (this was originally announced in the Budget as a £3,000 grant). Eligible businesses who receive Small Business Rates Relief will be contacted by their local authority, and do not need to apply to receive the grant.
*Further guidance will be issued on 20th March; the business rates relief will be dealt with by the local authorities, so businesses should not have to claim, it will be provided automatically to eligible businesses.
Business rates support in Scotland
The non-domestic rates reliefs announced by the UK Government only apply in England. They do not apply in Scotland.
The Scottish Government is providing a 1.6% relief for all non-domestic properties in 2020-21. There is no requirement to apply for this relief, it will be automatically applied.
Retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in Scotland will receive 100% business rates relief in 2020-21 – to receive this relief the property must be occupied (if it is empty due to Coronavirus restrictions then it is deemed to be occupied).
Further information regarding business rates relief in Scotland will be updated as and when available.
For more information from the Scottish Government please click here.
Grants in Scotland
Retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with a rateable value between £18,001 and up to and including £50,000 will be eligible to apply for a one-off grant of £25,000. Golf clubs, golf driving ranges, hotels and sports clubs are specifically mentioned as being eligible businesses in Scotland.
A one-off grant of £10,000 will also be available to small businesses who receive the Small Business Bonus Scheme relief or Rural Relief.
If the business is eligible for a grant, this does not have to be repaid.
For more information from the Scottish Government please click here.
For more information from the UK Government please click here.
