The Small Business Bonus Scheme is a new rates relief scheme that was introduced by Scottish Government in April 2008. 

The Small Business Bonus Scheme replaced the Small Business Rates Relief Scheme.

Small businesses sit at the heart of local economies, and the Scottish Government is determined to help them gain a competitive advantage.  There is evidence that rates account for a higher proportion of turnover of small businesses than they do for larger businesses.  The Small Business Bonus Scheme aims to target additional help at genuinely small businesses.

The Small Business Bonus Scheme will, from 1 April 2008, progressively reduce the rates burden for businesses where the cumulative rateable value of the properties that the business is entitled to occupy is £15,000 or less.   The level of relief awarded will depend on whether or not the property is also eligible for any other existing mandatory rates relief schemes e.g. unoccupied relief, charitable relief.  In the event that a business is already benefiting from any of the mandatory relief's that level of relief will be deducted from the qualifying percentage of small business bonus relief available.

Relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme does not affect your eligibility for other discretionary rates relief's, such as charitable relief and rural relief.

The projected rates of relief available for the next three years are set out below:

Fife Council will administer the Small Business Bonus Scheme and have issued applications to all businesses that think may qualify.  Application forms and further information are available from the Council's Non-Domestic Rates team on 01592 583644 or by e-mailing rates.team@fife.gov.uk