Small businesses are being urged to submit the tax relief applications on time or face missing out on important savings.
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) is flagging up the fact that there is just one month to go for the applications for Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) to be in this year.
The scheme, introduced in April 2005, allows businesses with premises of low rateable value to claim relief from their business rates.
Businesses with rateable values of below £5,000 are entitled to 50% rate relief.
The relief decreases on a sliding scale by 1% for every £100 of rateable value over £5,000, up to £10,000.
However, FPB campaigns manager, Victoria Carson, says take up of the scheme has been slow so far.
In June, a survey by the Local Government Association suggested that less than half of the 870,000 small businesses across England that qualify for the scheme, had applied for it.
Carson said: "There are many firms who are either unaware of SBRR, or who do not realise they qualify for it.
"Applications for the relief must be received by local authority within six months of the end of the financial year in question."
The last date for applications is September 30.
© Crimson Business Ltd 2006
