From 1 April 2024 Improvement Relief will support businesses who have invested in their property. It will ensure that no ratepayer will face a higher business rates bill for 12 months as a result of qualifying improvements to a property they occupy. 

The relief will be available from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2029

To be eligible for improvement relief, you must 

  • have carried out qualifying improvement works
  • have occupied the property during and after the improvement works 

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

You do not need to apply for improvement relief. 

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) will automatically consider this relief when they are notified of property changes. They will let the Council know and issue a certificate to you where qualifying works have been completed. The certificate will show-

  • the new rateable value
  • how much improvement relief you are getting 
  • when the relief ends

The Council will apply the relief to your bill if you meet the occupation condition. We may contact you if we have any queries.

Improvement Relief FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

I have received a certificate from the VOA – what does this mean?

If you have received a certificate of qualifying works from the VOA, this means that you may be eligible for improvement relief.

Improvement relief provides relief from increased business rates bills, where the increase in your bill was due to making certain improvements to your property.  

The VOA will send this information to your local council.

Your local council will apply the relief to your business rates bill if you also meet the occupation condition (this means that the property has remained occupied during and after the improvement works and the ratepayer has not changed).

I think my certificate is wrong. Who should I contact?

The VOA values qualifying improvement works and issues certificates to ratepayers.

There is no right of appeal against the certified values, however, you should let the VOA know if you think there is something wrong with your certificate.

 

If you think that there is something wrong with your certificate, you can contact the VOA by:

Please note that the VOA cannot support customers with queries on occupation requirements or their bills. They will direct customers to speak to their local Council in this instance.

Where can I find out more information about improvement relief?

To find out more information about improvement relief go to GOV.UK www.gov.uk/apply-for-business-rate-relief/improvement-relief