A ratepayer is liable for the full non-domestic rate whether a property is wholly occupied or only partly occupied. Where a property is partly occupied for a short time, we will have discretion in certain cases to award relief in respect of the unoccupied part.

• Non-profit making organisation - We have the discretion to give non-profit making organisations relief.
• Hardship Relief - We have the discretion to give hardship relief in special circumstances.
• Local Discretionary Rate Scheme - Please contact us for more detail on this scheme.
• Charity and Registered Community Amateur Sports Club Relief - Charities and Registered Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) are entitled to 80% relief where the property is occupied by the Charity or CASC and is wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes of the charity (or of that and other charities), or for the purposes of the CASC (or of that and other CASCs). We have the discretion to give further relief on the remaining bill such as Business Rates Mandatory Relief Form or Business Rates Discretionary Relief Form. 

 Certain changes in circumstances will need to be notified to us by the ratepayer (other changes will be picked up by us). The changes which must be notified are:

• the ratepayer taking up occupation of a property they did not occupy at the time of making their application for relief, and
• an increase in the rateable value of a property occupied by the ratepayer in an area other than the area of Bolsover District Council which granted the relief.

Notification of these changes must be given to us within four-weeks of the day after the day the change happened. If this happens, there will be no interruption to the ratepayer’s entitlement to the relief. A notification that the ratepayer has taken up occupation of an additional property must be by way of a fresh application for relief; notice of an increase in rateable value must be given in writing.

Small Business Rate Relief:

Small business rates application form

You can get small business rate relief if:

• you only use one property (see below for possible eligibility if you use more than one property)
• your property’s rateable value is less than £15,000.

What you get

You will receive 100% relief for properties with a rateable value of £12,000 or less. This means you won’t pay business rates on properties with a rateable value of £12,000 or less.
The rate of relief will gradually decrease from 100% to 0% for properties with a rateable value between £12,001 and £15,000.

If you have more than one property

You can get small business rate relief if the rateable value of each of your other properties is less than £2,900.
The rateable values of the properties are added together and the combined rateable value must not exceed £19,999.
The relief will be applied to the main property ie the one with the highest rateable value.
When you occupy a second property, you will be able to retain the existing relief on your main property for 12 months.
You can still benefit from small business rate relief on your main property after this if both the following apply:

• None of your other properties have a rateable value above £2899.
• The total rateable value of all of your properties does not exceed £19,999.

If your circumstances change

If the rateable value of your property, or the aggregate rateable value, increases above the qualification levels, relief will cease from the day of the increase.
If you take on an extra property, whether in Bolsover District Council’s area or another area, you must notify the Business Rates Section.

You’re a small business but don’t qualify for relief

If your property has a rateable value below £51,000 you’re considered a small business. Even if you don’t qualify for small business rate relief, your business rates will be calculated using the small business multiplier instead of the standard one. This is the case even if you have multiple properties.

The multiplier shows the percentage (pence in the pound) of the rateable value that you pay in business rates. A list of current multipliers is on the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) website.
Further information about the business rates system, including transitional and other reliefs, may be obtained at the GOV.UK website.