On 11 March 2020, the government announced in the Budget that it would increase the Business Rates Retail Discount to 100% and extend it to include the leisure and hospitality sectors in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This relief is a measure for 2020/2021 only.
Properties that can benefit from the relief must be occupied and wholly or mainly being used:
- as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues;
- for assembly and leisure; or
- as hotels, guest & boarding premises and self-catering accommodation.
In a similar way to other reliefs, the test is on use rather than occupation. Therefore, properties which are occupied but not wholly or mainly used for the qualifying purpose will not qualify for the relief. Properties which have temporarily closed due to the government’s guidance on Covid-19 are to be treated as occupied for the purposes of this relief.
This article is provided by Burlingtons for general information only. It is not intended to be and cannot be relied upon as legal advice or otherwise. If you would like to discuss any of the matters covered in this article, please contact Fionan Foo or write to us using the contact form below.
