Get Money off your Business Rates

You may be able to get a reduction in your Business Rates bill if you qualify for one of the many reliefs and exemptions but specific conditions must be met.

East Cambridgeshire District Council Rural Settlement List (under s42A of the Local Government Finance Act 1988)

All businesses located within the following settlements within East Cambridgeshire area are deemed to be within a rural settlement (i.e. settlements appearing to have a population of less than 3,000 at 31st December 2023). 

The boundaries of the settlements listed are, for the purpose of the 2024/25 list, defined by the ‘development envelopes’ on the April 2015 Policies Map (which itself is associated with the April 2015 Local Plan for East Cambridgeshire), available here:

Aldreth, Ashley, Barway, Black Horse Drove, Bottisham, Brinkley, Burrough Green and Burrough End, Chettisham, Chippenham, Coveney, Dullingham, Fordham, Haddenham, Isleham, Kennett, Kirtling, Little Downham, Little Thetford, Lode with Long Meadow, Mepal, Prickwillow, Pymoor, Queen Adelaide, Reach, Snailwell, Stetchworth, Stretham, Stuntney, Swaffham Bulbeck (including Commercial End), Swaffham Prior, Upend, Upware, Wardy Hill, Wentworth, Westley Waterless, Wicken, Wilburton, Witcham, Witchford, Wooddiitton, Saxon Street.

What benefit arises for those locations on the list?

The purpose of preparing the list is in relation to Business Rate Relief. In short, you could (if you apply) get Rural Rate Relief if your business is in a settlement as listed. Such rural rate relief means that you won’t pay business rates if your business is in an eligible settlement and either:

  • the only village shop or post office, with a rateable value (external link) of up to £8,500
  • the only public house or petrol station, with a rateable value of up to £12,500