Certain types of properties in a rural settlement with a population below 3,000 may be entitled to relief.

The property must be the only general store,the only post office or a food shop and have a rateable value of less than £8,500, or the only public house or the only petrol station and have a rateable value of less than £12,500.

The property has to be occupied. An eligible ratepayer is entitled to relief at 50% of the full charge while the local authority also has the discretion to give further relief on the remaining bill.

In addition, the local authority can give relief on certain other occupied properties in a rural settlement where the rateable value is less than £16,500.

At the Autumn Statement on 23 November 2016 the Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed that rural rate relief will double from 50% to 100% from 1 April 2017. Local authorities will be expected to use their discretionary relief powers (under section 47(3) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to grant the revised rural rate relief in line with the eligibility criteria.