Support for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses that pay business rates was announced on 17th March 2020.
The government has announced on 25th March 2020 that estate agents, lettings agencies and bingo halls that have closed as a result of covid-19 measures to restrict the spread of the virus will be now be exempted from business rates in 2020-21.
This measure comes after the Chancellor announced in the Budget that, in response to covid-19, the business rates retail discount would be increased to 100% next year and would be expanded to the hospitality and leisure sectors.
Now the government has announced that some of the exclusions for this relief have been removed, so that retail, leisure, and hospitality properties that have closed as a result of the covid-19 restriction measures will now be eligible.
They include estate agencies, lettings businesses and bingo halls.
Eligible businesses will be rebilled by their local authority and the new bill will give them the discount of 100%.
If businesses have made payments in the meantime, they will be refunded by their local authority. The government said it is working with local authorities to ensure new bills are issued as soon as possible.
Guidance for local authorities on the application of the holiday will be published shortly.