Charitable and discretionary rate relief

Charities and community amateur sports clubs can apply for charitable rate relief of up to 80% if a property is used for charitable purposes.

Contact our business rates team to:

• Check if you’re eligible
• Find out if we can top up the discount to 100% (called discretionary relief)
• Discretionary non-domestic rate relief policy (pdf 446KB)

Top up relief

In exceptional circumstances charities can receive up to a further 20% top up relief. The council’s guidelines state that this relief is only granted where:

• The property is used by local scout and guide groups
• It is a village hall which provides a post office facility
• It is a hospice

Premises used by other organisations that do not make a profit – Discretionary relief

The law also allows us to grant a discount of up to 100% to the following:

• Some organisations – Organisations that are not set up for profit and whose main aims are charitable, philanthropic, religious, or concerned with education, social welfare, science, literature, or the arts
• Some properties – Properties that are only or mainly used for recreation and whose occupier is a club or society that is not set up for profit

The council will assess each case on its merits using guidelines for this type of relief of up to 80% discretionary relief for eligible properties with a rateable value up to £9,000. A copy of the last financial statement would be needed in the application.

Contact us

• Call 01992 564064
• Email ndr@eppingforestdc.gov.uk