You’re referring to the continuation of the **Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) Business Rates Relief** scheme, which was announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn Statement 2023.
Here’s what we know about the 20% cut for pubs, clubs, and live music venues (and other qualifying businesses) in England:
1. **Who Qualifies:**
* Businesses in the **retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors** in England. This specifically includes pubs, clubs, live music venues, restaurants, cafes, shops, hotels, gyms, cinemas, museums, and other similar establishments.
* The property must be **occupied**.
* The property must be **wholly or mainly used for retail, hospitality, or leisure purposes**.
2. **The Discount:**
* Eligible businesses will receive a **20% discount** on their business rates bill.
3. **The Cap:**
* Crucially, this relief is **capped at a maximum of £110,000 per business** across all properties in England. This means if a business has multiple qualifying properties, the total relief received cannot exceed £110,000.
4. **When It Applies:**
* The relief applies for the **2024-2025 financial year**, starting from **1 April 2024**.
5. **Where It Applies:**
* This scheme is for businesses in **England only**. Business rates policy is devolved, so Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements.
6. **Why It’s Being Done:**
* The government states the relief aims to support businesses that provide valuable local services and face ongoing challenges such as high operating costs and economic pressures. It’s a continued effort to help these sectors recover and thrive.
7. **How It Works:**
* Local authorities are responsible for administering the relief.
* Businesses usually **do not need to apply** for this relief. If eligible, it should be automatically applied to their business rates bill by their local council.
* The 20% discount is applied *after* any other mandatory reliefs the business might be entitled to (e.g., Small Business Rates Relief).
**Important Context & Comparison to Previous Years:**
* This 20% relief is a continuation of similar schemes but is a **reduction** from the **75% relief** that was in place for the 2023-2024 financial year (which had a cap of £110,000 per business).
* The government has also frozen the business rates multiplier for the 2024-2025 financial year, which means the rate at which bills are calculated won’t increase with inflation.
**What Businesses Should Do:**
* Businesses in these sectors should **check their new business rates bill** when they receive it from their local council (usually in March/April 2024).
* If they believe they are eligible but the relief has not been applied, they should **contact their local authority’s business rates department**.
* It’s always advisable to **seek professional advice** if there’s any uncertainty about eligibility or how the relief impacts a specific business’s overall tax position.
