Discretionary ReliefThe council has discretion to award additional relief to charities and non-profit making organisations.
Charities or non-profit making organisations may also apply to the council for discretionary relief. To claim this reduction you will need to  download and complete a discretionary relief application form (pdf 88Kb). In order to view this form you will need Adobe Acrobat installed on your computer.
You can also obtain a form from our customer service points or by telephoning 020 8290 7133. It is important that you provide all of the supporting information and evidence with your application and the guidance notes below will help.
Discretionary relief
Discretionary relief can reduce your bills by up to 100 per cent of the charge. This could be either
- A 'top-up' of up to 20 per cent for organisations that have already been awarded the 80 per cent charity relief, or
- Varying relief for non-profit making organisations
To qualify for this type of relief your organisation must meet one of the following criteria
- It must be a charity or not for profit organisation
- Its main objectives are charitable, philanthropic or religious or are concerned with education, social welfare, science, literature or the fine arts
We will then consider your claim against our criteria.
Generally, discretionary relief will be awarded for the whole of the financial year (April to March) unless your organisation is not liable for the whole period, or does not fulfil the criteria for the whole period.
If you are awarded the relief we will periodically send a review form to confirm whether the organisation's circumstances have remained the same.
It is essential that you report any changes of circumstances as they occur and not wait for the review form.
Guidance notes
If you wish to apply for mandatory and/or discretionary relief you should
- Check that your organisation fulfils the criteria
- Fully complete the application form
- Ensure that the form is signed
Please return the form and the supporting evidence to
An application will only be considered when you have fully completed the application form and provided supporting evidence.
What to do while waiting for a decision
If you have applied for a reduction you should continue to pay in line with your current bill. If it is then awarded, you will then be issued with a further bill and new payment instructions. This will take account of any payments you have already made.
When we have made a decision
When we have received your completed application form we will issue you with a letter of acknowledgement and verify the information provided. We may also arrange for one of our inspectors to visit the property. It may take up to 8 weeks to make a decision on your application. Once a decision has been made we will write to you to confirm this.
Contact us
By telephone
020 8290 7133
By post
The Business Rates Section
London Borough Of Southwark
P.O. Box 782
Bromley
BR1 3YE
Please indicate which department your query is for.
In person
Bermondsey One Stop Shop
Spa Road
Bermondsey
SE16 3QN
Peckham One Stop Shop
Ground Floor
Peckham Library
122 Peckham Hill Street
SE15 5JR
Walworth One Stop Shop
151 Walworth Road
London
SE17 1RY
All one stop shops are open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. In addition, Peckham one stop shop is open on Saturday, 9am to 1pm.
By email
Soubusinessrateuk@liberata.com |