FSB victory on small business rate relief

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) today welcomed the Government’s pledge to help make small business rate relief automatic.

Business rates are the third largest cost to many small firms and many are unaware they are entitled to rate relief, so it is a real win for the FSB and small businesses that the Government has put in steps to start to make this automatic.

The FSB has long been campaigning for rate relief to be made automatic. Every year, millions of pounds, calculated and ear-marked by the Treasury for eligible businesses, go unclaimed – even though this money poses no extra cost to the tax payer.

John Walker, National Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses, said:

“After rent and wages, rates are the biggest cost to many businesses and steps to help small firms automatically get the relief they are entitled to is welcome news. We have long been calling for small business rate relief to be made automatic and this cash injection will be of great help to many small businesses.

“The onus is now on councils to be creative and not needlessly make small businesses go through an application process when it is obvious they are eligible. We have developed excellent relations with councils across the country through our small business engagement accord and we will be urging them to use their new powers to ensure that all small businesses receive the relief that they are entitled to.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. The FSB is the UK’s leading business organisation with over 210,000 members. It exists to protect and promote the interests of the self-employed, and all those who run their own business. More information is available at www.fsb.org.uk

2. The Federation of Small Businesses worked with Peter Luff MP in 2009 to pioneer a Private Members’ Bill which would see business rate relief granted automatically. The Small Business Rate Relief (Automatic Payment) Bill was the trigger for the latest moves on the issue.

3. The full announcement from the Department for Communities and Local Government can be found at www.communities.gov.uk

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Contacts

Prue Watson: 020 7592 8121/ 07825 125695 prue.watson@fsb.org.uk
Sara Lee: 020 7592 8113/ 07585 067068 sara.lee@fsb.org.uk

For regional FSB contacts please go to www.fsb.org.uk/regions