Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a business rates freeze for small retail, tourism and leisure commercial units which are currently unoccupied.

The Government maintains empty property relief to support property owners between the reoccupation of vacated premises. Under empty property relief, owners of properties do not normally have to pay business rates on newly vacated buildings for three months. Certain properties are also eligible for extended empty property relief.

Properties which have closed temporarily due to the Government’s advice on COVID-19 should be treated as occupied for the purposes of the business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure properties.

A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday, has also been made available.