Up to 780 local businesses will once again be eligible for business rates support after Bridgend County Borough Council’s Cabinet agreed to adopt Welsh Government’s Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Rates Relief Scheme for the 2025/26 financial year.
Applications are now open for 2025/26 – Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Rates Relief.
Eligible businesses will benefit from a reduction of 40% off their business rates bill. The total amount of relief available is £110,000 across all properties occupied by the same business throughout Wales.
The business must be in the retail, leisure, hospitality or tourism sectors, for example shops, markets, pharmacies, opticians, pubs and restaurants, gyms, performance venues and hotels.
They will also need to declare that they shall not receive more than £315,000 of support in Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA), between the financial years of 2023/24-2025/26 inclusive.
Businesses that aren’t eligible include casinos, kennels and catteries, day nurseries and medical and financial services. A detailed eligibility criteria is available on the Welsh Government website.
“It’s pleasing that this vital support will continue to be available for a range of businesses across the county borough thanks to significant investment from Welsh Government. “The council are not responsible for setting business rates, but local authorities administer this vital support on behalf of Welsh Government. I would like to encourage all businesses to check their eligibility and to make sure they don’t miss out on this welcome assistance.”
The scheme is fully funded by Welsh Government and will be available from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026.
