A record 104,000 firms throughout Scotland are benefiting from the Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) this tax year, the Scottish Government said yesterday.
The rates relief is worth £226million to small businesses, an increase from £180million in 2016-17, equating to an average saving of more than £2,000 per property, it added.
Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said: “Since its introduction the Small Business Bonus Scheme has saved businesses in Scotland almost £1.5billion and offers the most generous package of reliefs available to small businesses anywhere in the UK. To maximise take-up I will shortly write to ratepayers potentially eligible for SBBS but not claiming it.”
SBBS offers non-domestic tax relief of up to 100%, depending on the total rateable value of business premises.
Aberdeen Donside MSP Mark McDonald said SBBS relief worth £6.3million was helping 2,203 Granite City businesses this year.
Mr McDonald added: “To have 2,203 businesses in our city and over 103,000 across Scotland benefiting from this policy is good for jobs and good for communities.”
Andy Willox, Scottish policy convener for the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Without this rates help, Scottish firms tell us they would scale back investment and their plans for growth.”