Apply for a business rate reduction

There are a number of ways to reduce how much you pay for your business rates. You can apply for hardship, discretionary, unoccupied property and small business rate reductions.

Hardship relief

Hardship relief 

If your business is experiencing hardship, we have the discretion to reduce business rates by granting hardship relief.  Any hardship relief is normally granted as a percentage of the rates payable for a specific period in the rating year in which your application is made.  However, the majority of the cost of this scheme falls directly on our council tax payers. Therefore, before we grant any relief we must be satisfied that by doing so, it will benefit the wider community, as well as the ratepayer.

Eligibility

You could be eligible for relief if:

  • we failed to grant hardship relief, and you continued to sustain hardship
  • it is in the interest of local council tax payers

The "interest" of local council tax payers may go wider than direct financial interests. For example, where employment prospects in an area become worse due to a ratepayer going out of business. Furthermore, where the amenities of an area may be reduced by, for instance, the loss of a neighbourhood shop.

How to apply

Download the Hardship relief application form
To make an application, please complete the form and email it to our business rates team:  croynndr@croydon.gov.uk

You will be required to provide the following information:

  • Past 3 years' audited accounts
  • Copies of your organisation's bank statements showing the current financial period. (All recent financial activities that are not covered by the certified accounts above)
  • A comprehensive business plan including a brief history of the business.
  • Cash flow forecast for a minimum of the next 12 months. 
  • Any other information that you feel is relevant to your case.