Supporting small businesses relief (SSBR)

Supporting small business relief is a scheme designed to assist businesses that have lost some or all their small business rate relief or rural rate relief (for 2026 retail, hospitality and leisure relief is also included). This relief is automatically awarded to eligible ratepayers and is subject to UK subsidy limits. This relief only applies to occupied businesses.

2023 List

Supporting Small Business (SSB) scheme 2023 will cap bill increases at £600 per year for any business losing eligibility for some or all Small Business Rate Relief or Rural Rate Relief at the 2023 revaluation. 2023 SSBR will help those ratepayers who because of the change in their rateable value at the revaluation are losing some or all their Small Business, Rural Rate Relief or 2017 SSBR and, as a result, are facing large increases in their bills. Charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs, who are already entitled to mandatory 80% relief, are not eligible for 2023 SSBR.

To support these ratepayers, 2023 SSBR will ensure that the increase in the bills of these ratepayers is limited to a cash value of £600 per year. This cash maximum increase ensures that ratepayers do not face large bill increases in 2023/24 after transitional relief and small business rate relief (as applicable) have been applied. The 2023 SSBR will not include minimum percentage bill increases.

2026 List

Bill increases for businesses losing some or all their small business rates relief or rural rate relief will be capped at the higher of £800 or the relevant transitional relief caps from 1 April 2026. The 2026 SSB relief scheme has been expanded to ratepayers losing their RHL relief. The government has also announced a one-year extension of the 2023 Supporting Small Business scheme from 1 April 2026. This support is applied before changes in other reliefs and local supplements. This relief will be automatically awarded and will show on the 2026 New Year bill.

For those ratepayers receiving 2023 SSB relief on 31/3/26 (including those also receiving SBRR, Rural Rate Relief and/or RHL Relief on 31/3/26), any eligibility for 2026 SSBR will end on 31 March 2027. All other eligible ratepayers remain in 2026 SSBR for either 3 years or until they reach the bill they would have paid without the scheme. A change of ratepayers will not affect eligibility for the Supporting Small Business scheme, but eligibility will be lost if the property falls vacant or becomes occupied by a charity or Community Amateur Sports Club.

This relief will generally be applied automatically, however if you believe your business should qualify please contact us.