Edit: CARF has now been fully rolled out, and we're helping our clients achieve a maximum pay-out every day with huge results! The scheme is set to end in September however, so those that haven't enquired need to act fast.
The dawn of the April 2022 new non-domestic rates bill gives us more reason to focus on our business rates valuation this spring as we enter Q2. But additionally, an anticipated form of business rates relief is being made available for those quick enough to grab it. However, its rollout and execution have been controversial, to put it lightly.
We’re talking about CARF, the new £1.5 billion Covid Additional Relief Fund announced to help businesses that struggled through the pandemic. If your business has suffered, but you’re otherwise ineligible for any existing relief schemes, then this might be the scheme you’ve been waiting for.
It’s also been a long time coming. The initial concept was announced this time last year alongside government denial that the pandemic was suitable grounds for an MCC (Material Change in Circumstance) appeal. Many businesses have been waiting a further year on top of that to finally be recognised as in need of business rates relief.
The CARF may be harder to get than you’d believe, as it’s dolled out by councils on a discretionary basis. There’s also a VERY tight deadline now that you need to apply within; many councils aren’t accepting applications from the start of September! So is this the first you’re hearing of the CARF? Have you not had the opportunity to apply yet? Then you’ve got one, very last minute, and very competitive, chance for a successful appeal.
The delays in rolling CARF out to those that need it, the small window of opportunity for appeals, and the postcode lottery that’s been created as local authorities decide who gets how much, has had business rates companies such as CPA working in overdrive. We’ve gained hundreds of new clients through the pandemic who meet the criteria for CARF, and we’ll be working round the clock to ensure their appeals are given the best chance possible for success.
Don’t let the pressure of a CARF deadline, coupled with your new April bill, get overwhelming when it comes to securing a fair reimbursement. Our business rates specialists are happy to manage the entire process on your behalf on a no-win-no-fee basis.
If you’d like to talk about anything you’ve read today, or you need further information, please get in touch for a free and non-obligatory approach to business rates advice.