Closed petition Business Rate Relief to be extended to all small businesses in healthcare.

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• 9 November 2020

  Related activity

  MPs to debate support for SMEs during the Covid-19 pandemic

  MPs will debate support for SMEs during the Covid-19 pandemic on Tuesday 10 November in Westminster Hall. The subject of the debate has been determined by the Backbench Business Committee.

  This will be a general debate. General debates allow MPs to debate important issues, however they do not end in a vote nor can they change the law.

  The debate will start at 2.30pm and last for 90 minutes.

  Watch here this Thursday: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/dcb5184d-e840-4550-a631-c5fc33aa901f

  Find out more about how Parliamentary debates work: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/business/debates/
  Find out more about the Backbench Business Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/202/backbench-business-committee/

• 24 October 2020

  Petition closed

• 25 June 2020

  Parliament debated this petition

  

  • Read the transcript of the debate
  • Read the research used for the debate
• 19 June 2020

  Related activity

  MPs to debate petitions calling for support for UK industries in response to Covid-19

  The Petitions Committee, which is the group of MPs who oversee the petitions system, has agreed to schedule a debate in the House of Commons Chamber on Thursday 25 June on petitions calling for support for UK industries in response to Covid-19.

  The debate is being held in response to the huge number of petitions, including the one you signed, that call for the Government to provide support for UK industries in response to Covid-19.

  The start time of the debate will depend on other parliamentary business, but you can follow the Petitions Committee on Twitter @HoCpetitions, where we will post updates on when we expect the debate to start.

  You will be able to watch the debate live here: https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/a7b6db44-6101-42c7-b2a0-32abd08b80ef

  A transcript will be published the following day here: https://hansard.parliament.uk

• 5 June 2020

  Government responded to this petition

  Business rates relief is targeted at the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors given the acute impacts of COVID-19 on them. A range of other measures to support healthcare businesses are available.

  Read the response in full

  The Government is mindful of the severe impact felt by the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors from recent events, and it is right to offer them exceptional assistance to meet the crisis. On the 17 March the Chancellor announced a business rates holiday for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, irrespective of rateable value, so that all eligible businesses will pay no business rates for 12 months. This unprecedented action is expected to provide almost £10 billion in business rates relief in 2020-21. This year over half of all properties in England will pay no business rates.

  The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has published guidance for Local Authorities on the implementation of the business rates holiday for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. This includes definitions of properties that will benefit from the relief, though it is for individual Local Authorities to make decisions on eligibility for the relief in their own area based on this guidance. This guidance is available online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-retail-discount-guidance

  The Government is keenly aware that COVID-19, and the extraordinary measures that have been taken to prevent its spread, present an unprecedented challenge for businesses in many sectors, and has sympathy with all those affected. However, there are no plans for the immediate change to the guidance or the scope of reliefs. If any businesses have difficulties paying their business rates bills, they should be encouraged to contact their local authority to discuss whether other support may be available.

  Any healthcare practice may already benefit from Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) where they are occupying a single property with a rateable value below £15,000. Businesses in receipt of SBRR may also be eligible for the £10,000 Small Business grant. You can find more information on grants here: https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder

  NHS England has issued guidance for dentists holding or working on NHS contracts, which is clear that dentists will be fully remunerated for the NHS work they would have otherwise undertaken during the pandemic, subject to some basic requirements. This guidance applies to dentists working on wholly NHS contracts and those working on a mix of NHS and private contracts. NHS England has published a series of guidance which sets out that dental practices can also access wider Treasury support for their private dental earnings. The latest guidance, issued on 15 April, can be found here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/primary-care/dental-practice/

  A range of further measures to support all businesses, including those not eligible for the business rates holiday, have also been made available. You can find more information on the package of support for businesses here: www.businesssupport.gov.uk.

  HM Treasury

• 13 May 2020

  Government will respond to this petition

  This petition got more than 10,000 signatures meaning that government will respond to it.

• 24 April 2020

  Petition published

  This petition can now be signed.

  If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

  If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

  This petition will stay open until 24 October 2020.