All Local Authority Leaders
21 July 2017
Dear Leaders,
BUSINESS RATES RELIEFS
I wrote on 22 June to confirm the level of New Burdens funding linked to the three business rates relief schemes announced by the Chancellor at the Budget: the Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme, the Discretionary Business Rates Relief Scheme, and the Pub Relief Scheme.
The letter thanked those authorities that had made significant progress in identifying, contacting and rebilling local businesses eligible for the schemes, and it set out my clear expectation for those authorities which had not, that they make rapid progress and deliver the relief to businesses quickly. I know you are enthusiastic about providing this support, and I am grateful for the positive steps taken forward by many local authorities under all three schemes to do just this.
Under the Supporting Small Business Relief Scheme, while authorities have been able to manually identify eligible businesses since March, I understand that some authorities have chosen to wait for a full software update that will enable them to automate this process. To ensure continued progress on implementation, I met the main software providers (Capita, Civica and Northgate) last week. They have assured me that the relevant software update will be provided by 21 August at the latest. Once it is available, local authorities should work with their software suppliers to immediately implement the relevant software update and rebill eligible businesses as soon as possible.
To help in monitoring further progress, I would be grateful if your officers could notify my Department as soon as your authority has rebilled eligible businesses for each of the three individual schemes – by sending an email to NDR@communities.gsi.gov.uk. If revised bills have already been issued for one or more of the schemes, I would be grateful if that could be confirmed as soon as possible. When providing confirmation, please indicate the number of businesses in your area that will receive revised bills as a result of each scheme.
Marcus Jones MP
Minister for Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Tel: 0303 444 3460
E-Mail: marcus.jones@communities.gsi.gov.uk
www.gov.uk/dclg
With regard to the Discretionary Scheme, following a question raised by a number of authorities, I can confirm that there are no plans to allow end of year flexibility with regard to this year’s allocations. Local authorities should therefore be continuing to press ahead with implementing their schemes as soon as possible.
MARCUS JONES MP
cc All Local Authority Chief Executives
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