Small firms facing big cash cut-off

SMALL businesses in Oldham are being warned they could lose out on more than £700,000 in rate relief if they don’t claim before Thursday’s deadline.

Firms across Greater Manchester could claim £14 million in backdated Small Business Rate Relief.

Any small business which occupied commercial premises between April 1, 2007, and April this year, could be entitled to money back.

Official data suggests leaseholders leave £707,639 a year unclaimed in Oldham alone.

Businesses can often claim up to three years’ worth of backdated relief, meaning around £14 million is still to be claimed in Greater Manchester out of £200 million outstanding in the UK.


Making a claim


Go to www.sbrr.co.uk .

Enter your local authority details and your email address.

Receive the correct form, together with completion notes and a fax number for the council.

Fill it in and fax it off before Thursday.

If you are eligible the council will send you a cheque and automatically grant you any Small Business Rate Relief due.