Thousands of small businesses have benefited from council campaigns to ensure firms claim business rate relief during the recession – with many slashing their bills in half. CLG sources this week revealed ‘mounting evidence' that take-up of rate relief is increasing significantly, following a country-wide campaign to distribute unclaimed cash. Many smaller local authorities have seen substantial hikes in the number of businesses claiming relief. Wyre BC, for example, said it had allowed £1.04m in relief to small firms, with £259,000 of previously-unclaimed relief ‘identified and allowed'. Beneficiaries have included local newsagents and small grocers. Central government is bearing the cost of rate relief.
