A letter to local authorities confirms amendments that the government has made to the eligibility criteria for Supporting Small Business Relief, a scheme available in England.
Eligibility for the relief has been aligned with the treatment of vacancy and reoccupation under Transitional Relief.
Under the updated rules, a change of ratepayer or a period of vacancy after 31 March 2026 will not affect eligibility for the Supporting Small Business Relief scheme. Eligibility will still be lost if the property becomes occupied by a charity or a Community Amateur Sports Club.
The change has been made to reflect the fact that the relief is intended to mitigate business rate bill increases as a result of revaluation. The change has been backdated to 1 April 2026.
According to a BBC report, businesses investing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are finding it increasingly difficult to predict what their technology bills will look like, as reliance on AI increases.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healey, has announced that Budget 2026 will be presented on 28 October 2026.