‘Little help’ for rates
CAR dealers are facing a 30% increase in business rates – so have little to gain from the Government’s 3% deferment.
RMIF director Sue Robinson said the Government support scheme would make little difference to car dealers most in need of help.
The scheme, which launched at the start of the month, allows businesses to defer 3 percent of the 2009/10 business rates bill. To do so, they need to apply to the local council.
Furthermore, car dealers hit by the end of transitional relief can also defer 60 percent of this increase. However, the deferment scheme is only going to run for two years.
That’s ‘too small to soften the blow for businesses struggling in the face of prevailing economic conditions,’ said Robinson.
‘Following the 2005 rate revaluation, many businesses benefited from four years of transitional relief, but this has now to come to an end.
‘For some it means a business rate increase of up to 30 per cent.’
Unsurprisingly, many local councils are also in the dark as to how the scheme will work.
All ratepayers ought to, however, have now received an application form from their local council. If you don’t have one, drop them a line – you should have!
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Tags: deferment, government, rates, rmig