Mandatory (Charitable) Relief

Charities are entitled to a reduction of 80 per cent if the property is wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes.

Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASC) are among the bodies able to register their status with HM Revenue & Customs. They will then also be entitled to claim mandatory business rates relief. 

View more information on charities and their status.

To claim this reduction you will need to complete a mandatory business rates relief application form (pdf 52KB). 

To view this you will need Adobe Acrobat. You can download the form or obtain a copy from our customer service points or telephone 020 8290 7133.

It is important that you provide all of the supporting information and evidence with your application. The guidance notes below will provide you with assistance.

Guidance notes

If you wish to apply for mandatory reduction you should

• Check that your organisation fulfils the criteria
• Fully complete the application form
• Ensure that the form is signed

Return the form and the supporting evidence to:

The Business Rate Section
Liberata UK Ltd (LB Southwark)
P.O.Box 782
Bromley
BR1 3YE

Evidence

If you are applying as a charity you should provide the following documents to support your application

• A copy of your charity registration or an official letter confirming the organisation is exempt from registration
• A letter from the Inland Revenue, if you are recognised as a charity for income tax purposes

If you have any queries as to what you should provide please contact the business rates team.

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 the reduction is awarded, you will 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.

We will write and inform you whether your application has been successful and, if so, how much will be awarded.

Contact us

Tel: 020 8290 7133
The Business Rates Section
London Borough Of Southwark
P.O. Box 782
Bromley
BR1 3YE
Soubusinessrateuk@liberata.com

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.