HUNDREDS of businesses across Bury could miss out on vital business rates relief simply because they have not applied for it.

A huge range of businesses – from shops and restaurants to gyms and art galleries – are eligible to benefit from the extension of rates discounts for another year, which started in April 2020.

The discount was applied automatically for the period from April to June - however, to receive the money from July 1, businesses must apply for it.

The council estimates that as many as two-thirds of the 900 eligible businesses in Bury have still not applied, and is urging them to do so now before they receive a new rates bill which doesn’t include the discount.

The discount is only available to occupied properties. However, if you had to close your business temporarily due to national lockdown restrictions, you can still qualify.

The business rates discount for nurseries has also been extended. To qualify, they must be on Ofsted's Early Years Register and be wholly or mainly used for the provision of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Businesses and nurseries, if eligible, could receive:

100% discount for the 2020/21 tax year

100% discount for the first 3 months of the 2021/22 tax year (1 April 2021 to 30 June 2021)

up to a 66% discount for the rest of the 2021 to 2022 tax year (1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022)

Details of the business rates discounts, eligibility criteria and application forms are on the council’s website at www.bury.gov.uk/retaildiscountand at www.bury.gov.uk/nurseriesdiscount