Temporary RHL Relief (up to 31 March 2026)
Businesses mainly used for retail, hospitality or leisure - such as:
- Shops
- Cafés, restaurants, bars and pubs
- Hotel and B&Bs
- Gyms, cinemas and visitor attractions
Received a:
- 40% discount for 2025-2026
- 75% discount for 2024-2025
- 75% discount for 2023-2024
- 50% discount for 2022-2023
A maximum of £110,000 per business applies each year.
Most eligible businesses received this discount automatically. If you believe you are eligible but the discount does not appear on your bill for the above financial years, please contact us as soon as possible.
You can find further information in our Discretionary Rate Relief Policy.
New RHL Multipliers (from 1 April 2026 onwards)
The temporary RHL Relief Scheme has been replaced with a new permanent business rates multipliers for eligible properties with a rateable value (RV) below £500,000.
The new multipliers are:
- Small Business RHL Multiplier - for properties with an RV under £51,000
- Standard RHL Multiplier - for properties with an RV between £51,000 and £499,999
Properties that do not qualify
A property will not qualify is:
- It's empty (unoccupied).
- It has a rateable value of £500,000 or more.
- Its main use is not retail, hospitality, or leisure - e.g.
How this differs from the old RHL Relief
Previously, RHL support was a temporary discount, such as the 40% relief in 2025-26.
From April 2026, support becomes a permanent lower tax rate, with:
- No cash gap
- Every eligible property in a chain qualifying, as long as its RV is below £500,000
Do I need to apply?
- No. If your property qualifies, we will automatically apply the correct RHL multiplier and it will appear on your bill.
- If the multiplier does not appear on your bill and you believe your property qualifies (mainly retail, hospitality or leisure use, and an RV under £500,000), please contact us.
Relief for Pubs and Live Music Venues
The government is introducing extra support from April 2026 to:
- Eligible properties will receive a 15% reduction on their business rates bill
- Followed by a two-year real-terms freeze
Who can benefit?
Pubs
Pubs will qualify for the relief if they:
- Are open to the general public
- Offer free entry (except for occasional entertainment)
- Allow customers to drink without having to buy food
- Sell drinks over the bar
The relief does not apply to:
Restaurants, cafés, nightclubs, hotels, guesthouses, theatres, cinemas, museums or similar venues.
Live Music Venues
To qualify, a venue must:
- Be used wholly or mainly for live music performances for an audience.
- Host other activities (such as selling food or drink) only when they are incidental and do not change its primary purpose.
Venues that operate mainly as nightclubs or theatres will not qualify.
Do I need to apply?
No. If your property qualifies, this relief will automatically appear on your business rates bill.