Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Rate Relief Wales - 2025/26
In 2025-26, the Welsh Government will again provide non-domestic rates support to businesses in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors e.g. shops, pubs, restaurants, gyms, performance venues, hotels etc.
The relief aims to provide support for eligible occupied properties, by offering a discount of 40% on non-domestic rates bills.
The relief will be subject to a cap in the amount each business can claim across Wales. The total amount of relief available is £110,000 across all properties occupied by the same business, and all businesses are required to make a declaration when applying to individual local authorities, confirming that the amount of relief they are seeking across Wales, does not exceed this cap.
Applications must be made to local authorities by 31 March 2026 for ratepayers to be eligible for relief in 2025-26. Applications received after this date will not be eligible for relief in 2025-26 under this scheme.
Apply for Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Rates Relief 2025-26 HERE
Small Business Rate Relief in Wales
A new permanent scheme came into force on 1 April 2018. The Welsh Government provides non-domestic rates relief to eligible small businesses.
- eligible business premises with a rateable value of up to £6,000 will receive 100% relief; and
- those with a rateable value between £6,001 and £12,000 will receive relief on a tapered basis from 100% to zero
The following types of business will continue to get relief as follows:
Registered Childcare Premises
The small business rates relief scheme for the childcare providers will be enhanced to provide 100% relief to all registered childcare providers in Wales, this higher level of relief will start on 1 April 2019.
Post Offices
- Post offices with a rateable value up to £9,000 receive 100% relief
- Post offices with a rateable value between £9,001 and £12,000 receive 50% relief
Multiple Occupation Limit
Where a ratepayer is liable for more than two properties on a single local non-domestic rating list (“local list”), and those properties meet only the rateable value conditions, the ratepayer will only receive relief for a maximum of two such properties.
Transitional Relief
For qualifying properties, transitional relief will only apply to a non-domestic rate liability falling within the period 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2025.
Guidance on the Transitional Rates Relief scheme has now been published at Business Wales website.
How to apply
If you qualify, transitional rate relief is applied automatically to your bill so you do not need to apply for it.
Empty or Partly Occupied Properties / Exempt Properties
Rate Relief For Empty Properties
Empty business properties are exempt from paying business rates for 3 months after the property becomes vacant. There are additional exemptions for certain types of properties under a set rateable value. These include:
- industrial premises, such as warehouses, which are exempt for a further 3 months
- listed buildings which are exempt until they become occupied again
- buildings with a rateable value under £2,600 which are exempt until they become occupied again
- properties owned by charities, which are exempt if the property's next use is likely to be wholly or mainly for charitable purposes
- community amateur sports club buildings which are exempt if their next use is likely to be wholly or mainly for a sports club
- a business whose owner is a company which is subject to a winding-up order made under the Insolvency Act 1986 or which is being wound up voluntarily under that Act
- a business whose owner is a company in administration within the meaning of paragraph 1 of Schedule B1 to the Insolvency Act 1986 or is subject to an administration order made under the former administration provisions within the meaning of article 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2003.
- a business whose owner is entitled to possession only in his or her capacity as the personal representative of a deceased person.
After the exemption period ends, you will be liable for the full business rate bill. You should notify your local authority when your property becomes vacant and also when it becomes re-occupied.
Rate relief For Part Occupied Properties (Section 44A)
Where it appears to the authority that only part of a property is unoccupied, and will remain so for a short period, then the authority can ask the Valuation Office for an apportionment of the rateable value and therefore, charge rates on the occupied part. It should be noted that the unoccupied part may still be liable to an empty rate charge.If you require any further informaiton please do not hesitate to contact the Business Rate Section on 01495 363900
Further information
For further information please contact The Business Rates Section
Telephone Number: 01495 363900
Address: Revenues Section, The General Offices, Steelworks Road, Ebbw Vale, NP23 6DN.
Email Address: nndr@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk