The Chancellor announced in the 2017 Budget Statement that Local Authorities in England would be given a £300m fund over the next four years to support those businesses that face the steepest increases in their business rates bills as a result of the revaluation.

DCLG has now opened a consultation looking for views on the operation of discretionary relief schemes. Responses should be sent in via email before 7 April 2017.

The proposal is that it will be for billing authorities, in collaboration with other authorities operating within their area, to design their discretionary relief schemes and determine the eligibility of ratepayers for support. The schemes must clearly set out the criteria that ratepayers across the local authority area, or within specific locations within their areas need to meet in order to qualify for discretionary relief.

It is clear that the Government intends for these discretionary reliefs to be given to ratepayers heavily affected by the forthcoming rates revaluation, but there is no reason for this not to include charities.