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  • Closed consultation A Rates Rethink

    Topics:
    • Property rating, 
    • Property rating publications

    Consultation closed Consultation opened 15 December 2016, 11.33 am and closed 16 February 2017, 5.00 pm

    Summary

    From this page you can access documents relating to the Rates Rethink announced by the Minister on 22 November.

    Documents

    • Introduction to Rates Rethink consultation (3 Pages) Adobe PDF (63 KB)
    • Part 1 - Commercial Rates Reform - Investment in Small Business (6 Pages) Adobe PDF (102 KB)
    • Part 1 - Commercial Rates Reform - Small Business Empowerment Zones (3 Pages) Adobe PDF (48 KB)
    • Part 1 - Commercial Rates Reform - Revitalising our High Streets (2 Pages) Adobe PDF (42 KB)
    • Part 1 - Commercial Rates Reform - Charity Shops (3 Pages) Adobe PDF (70 KB)
    • Part 1 - Commercial Rates Reform - Empty Property Rates (3 Pages) Adobe PDF (47 KB)
    • Part 1 - Commercial Rates Reform - Mines (2 Pages) Adobe PDF (59 KB)
    • Part 1 - Commercial Rates Reform - Halls of Residence (3 Pages) Adobe PDF (49 KB)
    • Part 1 - Commercial Rates Reform - Hardship Relief (4 Pages) Adobe PDF (60 KB)
    • Part 1 - Commercial Rates Reform - Sport and Recreation Relief (3 Pages) Adobe PDF (51 KB)
    • Part 2 - Domestic Rates Reform - The Rates Cap (4 Pages) Adobe PDF (91 KB)
    • Part 2 - Domestic Rates Reform - Early Payment Discount (2 Pages) Adobe PDF (52 KB)
    • Part 2 - Domestic Rates Reform - Landlord Allowance (2 Pages) Adobe PDF (43 KB)
    • Part 2 - Domestic Rates Reform - Energy efficient new homes (2 Pages) Adobe PDF (45 KB)
    • Rates Rethink Consultation Paper (full document, 55 Pages) Adobe PDF (1 MB)

    Help viewing documents

    Consultation description

    This consultation is the culmination of a long process of engagement that stretches back to the previous mandate:

    • most of the non-domestic reforms emanate from the review of non-domestic rating, which was the subject of a public consultation process that lasted from November 2015 to Early February 2016. Pre-consultation, that process was informed by an Innovation lab, attended by representatives of leading business organisations, the voluntary sector, local government, academics and other experts to help scope the review and establish some key principles for reform
    • the replacement for small business rate relief was informed by the full policy evaluation completed in December 2014 by the Economic Policy Centre at the University of Ulster. This included a consultation and a series of targeted meetings with stakeholders. Following that process, the Department produced a discussion paper on potential options in March 2016 which was the subject of a targeted consultation until May 2016
    • the Department (then DFP) undertook another consultation in March 2016 for 12 weeks on changes to landlord liability and the halls of residence exemption. That consultation included a pre-consultation process with key stakeholders
    • the Department undertook yet another public consultation in March 2016 on the issue of rate relief for sport and recreation activity. Although that consultation was in relation to new powers taken at the end of the last mandate views were expressed through that process (and a series of earlier consultations) which identified other issues which are the subject of the proposals set out in this current consultation
    • finally, the Department undertook a series of 12 week public consultations, three in total between 2013 and 2015, addressing issues around the affordability of the current suite of reliefs and allowance associated with the domestic rating system, given the funding shortfall imposed by the UK Government. The question of the cap and early payment discount was raised and commented upon by stakeholders groups, mostly from the advice sector. This consultation was not acted on given the impasse that existed here at that time around Welfare Reform

    The Consultation opened on 15 December 2016 and will close on 16 February 2017.

    Ways to respond

    Consultation closed — responses are no longer being accepted.

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