Small business rates relief: survey analysis

Awareness and perceptions of non-domestic rate schemes

Awareness of non-domestic rates relief schemes was low, which may indicate the usefulness of a communication campaign around non-domestic rates. The most well-known scheme was the small business rates relief scheme. The variety in perceptions on why businesses may not receive the correct support with rates suggests that awareness is one of several barriers.

The majority of surveyed businesses with business rates relief believed that rates relief schemes:

• help small businesses to survive
• enable small businesses to survive in remote rural communities
• offer support to small businesses to survive in deprived communities

Businesses eligible for small business rates relief schemes

Businesses with fewer employees were more likely to receive small business rates relief than businesses with more employees. Businesses that felt they were struggling were more likely to not have small business rates relief. Small business rates relief was perceived as important and impactful for different aspects of trading across various business activities.

Business activities: businesses receiving business rates relief

'Wholesale, retail' and 'Hotel, other services' businesses had higher numbers of responses than other business activities. Some businesses in 'Wholesale, retail' receiving some form of relief perceived their business as struggling. This may indicate that the current rates relief did not go far enough for these businesses.

Differences in perceptions around overhead increases may indicate strain might be most felt by the 'Wholesale, retail' and 'Hotels, other services' businesses. However, the sample sizes contained in the analysis for some of the breakdowns are small. This means conclusions drawn are indicative only of potential trends for views and experiences of small businesses in Wales.