In England, councils can reduce business rates with a hardship relief. The Royal Borough of Greenwich is currently reviewing its discretionary scheme to reduce business rates on the grounds of hardship, but we need your feedback.  

The purpose of the hardship relief scheme is to support rate payers by helping reduce their rates in exceptional circumstances.   

When deciding on applications, the Council is considering using a range of criteria All factors must be taken into account to enable us to reach a fair, reasonable and proportionate decision.  

Section 49 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 provides billing authorities with the discretion to reduce business rates “to such extent as the authority thinks fit”; where it is satisfied that: 

• The ratepayer would sustain hardship if the authority did not do so; and 

• It is reasonable for the authority to do so, having regard to the interests of persons subject to its council tax. 

We are seeking your views on which criteria to use when considering whether to reduce rates for businesses that may need it in Royal Greenwich.