Discretionary relief
Hardship relief
If your business is suffering hardship because of exceptional circumstances, we can grant discretionary relief up to 100%.
How to apply for discretionary hardship relief
Telephone: 0300 300 8011
Email: businessrates@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
Please quote your business rates account reference in all correspondence – your account reference is 7 or 8 digits long and starts with a 3, and you can find it on your business rates bill or any letter we’ve sent about your business rates.
If you apply, we will ask for:
- a financial statement for your business -audited accounts are best, but if you do not have accounts, we may accept bank statements or cashbooks
- details of the exceptional circumstances that have led to your current situation
- the reasons why, in your view, we should reduce your liability
Relief for local newspapers
The government is providing funding to local authorities so that they can provide a discount worth up to £1,500 a year on office space occupied by local newspapers. This was due to run for 2 years from 1 April 2017. In the Budget 2018, the government extended the scheme for an additional year (2019/20).
This scheme provides a maximum of one discount per local newspaper title and per hereditament, and up to state aid limits.
The relief will be delivered through local authority discretionary discount powers (under section 47(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988).
Eligibility criteria for this relief is set out in the guidance note: The case for a business rates relief for local newspapers (link opens in new window).
Local rate relief
The Localism Act 2011 gave local authorities the discretion to award business rate relief to all types of businesses.
The intention for this change is to help us attract firms, investments and jobs to Central Bedfordshire. We need to meet the cost of discounts from our local resources.
We will normally only award local rate relief where we are satisfied that an award will result in tangible benefits to local residents and in particular where the award will directly result in attracting businesses, investment or jobs to the local area.
Download our discretionary rate relief policy (PDF 381.3KB) 
How to apply
To apply for local rate relief, please write to the Revenue Team at the address below:
Revenue Team
Central Bedfordshire Council
Priory House
Monks Walk
Chicksands
Shefford
Bedfordshire
SG17 5TQ