Help and discounts for business rates

Small businesses, charities, retail properties and pubs can get discounts on their business rates bills.

Help for small businesses

You could get Small Business Rate Relief if your business property's rateable value is less than £15,000.

Help for charities

If your business property is used as a charity or a community amateur sports club, you'll usually get an automatic 80% discount on your business rates bill.

You can also print and fill in our charity relief form (PDF 55KB) to apply for a 100% discount, but we have limited funds and cannot award the help to everyone.

You can:

  • post your completed form to Business rates, Brighton & Hove City Council, PO box 2929, BN1 1PS
  • email a scanned version of the completed form to nndr@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Help for retail properties

You could qualify for 40% off your business rates bill from 1 April 2025, up to a total of £110,000 if your business is mainly being used:

  • as a shop, restaurant, café, bar, pub, cinema or live music venue
  • for meeting up and leisure
  • as a hotel, a B&B, or self-catering accommodation

Here are some examples of businesses that would also fall within the criteria:

  • gyms, sports clubs, spas, casinos
  • museums, art galleries and theatres
  • caravan parks
  • night clubs and clubhouses
  • car show rooms
  • petrol stations
  • travel agents
  • dry cleaners and launderettes
  • funeral directors

More examples can be found on the government’s guidance document. Your bill will automatically be updated with the discount if you qualify.

Previous years

Retail Discount is also available for previous financial years if your business is a:

  • shop
  • restaurant, café, bar or pub
  • cinema or music venue
  • hospitality or leisure business - for example, a gym, a spa, a casino or a hotel

If you were eligible during previous years but did not receive your discount at the time, you could get:

  • 100% off your business rates bills for the 2020 to 2021 tax year (1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021)
  • 100% off your business rates bills for the first 3 months of the 2021 to 2022 tax year (1 April 2021 to 30 June 2021)
  • 66% off your business rates bills for the rest of the 2021 to 2022 tax year (1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022) - up to a total value of £2 million
  • 50% off your business rates bills for 2022 to 2023 tax year (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023)
  • 75% off your business rates bills for 2023 to 2024 tax year (1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024) and for 2024 to 2025 tax year (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025)

You can find more information on retail discount on the GOV.UK website. If you did not receive the retail discount but believe you were entitled, contact the Business Rates team. 

Help for empty properties

You may be entitled to help for empty and partly occupied properties for a limited amount of time.