Charitable and Discretionary Relief
Ratepayers currently receiving rate relief are required to re-apply each year and applications should be made during January of that year.
Charities are entitled to relief from rates on any non-domestic property that is solely used for charitable purposes. Relief is given at 80% of the bill and the Council has the discretion to give further relief on the remaining 20% of the bill, for the following:
- A charity or trustee of a charity whose property is used solely for charitable purposes
- An organisation which is not a registered charity but has charitable objectives
- A charity whose property is used solely for the sale of goods donated to the charity with the proceeds, after deductions for expenses, applied for the purposes of the charity
- Registered community amateur sports clubs (CASC)
The Council has discretion to give a further relief on all or part of any rate bill for property occupied by certain non-profit making bodies. This applies not only to charities but also to the following organisations:
- Non-profit making organisations whose main objectives are charitable, philanthropic, religious or concerned with education, social welfare, science, literature or the fine arts
- Non-profit making organisations occupying premises wholly or mainly for the purposes of recreation
- Organisations entitled to mandatory relief