Business Rates reductions

Improvement relief

If you make certain improvements to your property, you may get relief from higher Business Rates bills.

You do not need to apply for improvement relief or do anything differently. If you meet the necessary requirements, it will be applied when we calculate your bill.

You can find out more about which improvements are eligible by going to GOV.UK and searching ‘business rates reliefs’.

If you have questions about a certificate of qualifying works, please contact HMRC Valuation Office at the email address on your certificate. Please note that HMRC Valuation Office cannot answer queries about the occupation condition or your Business Rates bill.

More about improvement relief

Customer Q&A

  • Improvement relief supports businesses who have invested in their property.
  • It provides relief from higher Business Rates bills, where the increase in your bill was due to making certain improvements to your property.
  • The relief lasts for 12 months from when the improvement works were completed.
  • You do not need to apply for improvement relief or do anything differently.
  • If you meet the necessary requirements, it will be applied when we calculate your bill.
  • To be eligible for improvement relief, you must:
    • have qualifying improvement works, and
    • meet the occupation condition.
  • For more information, go to GOV.UK and search ‘business rates relief’.
  • You will receive a certificate from HMRC Valuation Office if you have qualifying works. HMRC Valuation Office will give the same information to Runnymede Borough Council.
  • We will then apply the relief and send you a revised bill if we are satisfied that you meet the occupation requirements. This means that you have occupied the property during and after the improvement works.
  • If you have received a certificate of qualifying works from HMRC Valuation Office, this means that you may be eligible for improvement relief.
  • Improvement relief provides relief from higher Business Rates bills, where the increase in your bill was due to making certain improvements to your property.
  • HMRC Valuation Office will send this information to Runnymede Borough Council.
  • We will then apply the relief to your Business Rates bill if you also meet the occupation condition.
  • HMRC Valuation Office values qualifying works and issues certificates to ratepayers.
  • There is no right of appeal against the certified values, however, you should let HMRC Valuation Office know if you think there is something wrong with your certificate.
  • You can contact HMRC Valuation Office using the email address on your letter.