Currently when a business opens a second property, they will lose access to all Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) unless they meet specific conditions, holding businesses back from expanding.
That means that a local bakery would have to pay thousands of pounds more for opening a small shop in the next village.
The report confirms that the government will review how SBRR can support business growth, potentially lifting growth and living standards in the future for those who work in these small businesses.
This is one of the options being explored in the Treasury’s business rates interim report.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said:
"Our economy isn’t broken, but it does feel stuck. That’s why growth is our number one mission. We want to see thriving high streets and small businesses investing in their future, not held back by outdated rules or strangled by red tape.
Tax reforms such as tackling cliff-edges in business rates and making reliefs fairer are vital to driving growth. We want to help small businesses expand to new premises and building an economy that works for, and rewards working people."
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23/09/2025
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15/10/2026
Six months until next phase of Making Tax Digital rollout
HMRC expects that more than 1m taxpayers will be required to use digital recordkeeping and send quarterly updates to HMRC when the second phase of MTD for Income Tax is extended from 6.4.27.
Applications open for scheme to cut electricity bills for manufacturers
Applications opened on 1 October 2026 for the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) as part of a government project to cut costs for businesses.
Responses to Shadow Chancellor's party conference speech
On 5 October, Shadow Chancellor, Andrew Griffith, delivered his speech to the Conservative Party conference.
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