Abolish Business Rates

Rates for what? Utilities?

For nothing. You get nothing in return. It is a charge made up by the council amounting to about half the rent of the commercial premises.

So you're talking about a tax? Is this like a business license fee?

It is more like a protection racket.

If it's pure corruption, how do you expect to abolish it?

The people behind business rates are no doubt conscious of the growing resistance to them and have already gone back to the drawing board to think up some other scam by which they can fleece the masses.

I don’t think anyone reading this, including me, knows what you mean by the term “business rates”

Would you please define what “business rates” are?

That's what I would like to know.

What?

ok, you're done.

You can't even define what it is you want to abolish.

What is this council? Never heard about such a thing?

Is this government imposed? Which government - country, state, etc?

Maybe you leave elsewhere than most of the other posters here and that is why so many of us are confused.

I have no idea what you mean by business rates.

My Knowles of anything referred to as business rates is favorable for businesses - ie lower rates for a hotel room, air fare, etc. due to using their these services more.

https://www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates

I'm presuming alphabeta is British. Assuming the system is the same as where I'm from, the monies are collected by Local Authorities and are used by them to fund local services e.g. road repairs, public lighting, parks and amenities, graveyards. Or 'nothing at all' as our resident conspiracy nutcase seems to imagine.

Good info lmur.

From what I can glean, it's a tax on business on their "rateable value".

However depending on the rateable value of your business, you get a "rate relief" anywhere from between 100% to 0%. I guess Americans would think of this as a deduction.

And, as lmur said, it goes to pay for things like road repair, lighting. bridges, etc. Infrastructure stuff.

I wonder where the OP thinks these funds should come from.

I guess the question is then is this a fair tax/fee? Is it much different than what say a resident would pay? Are there any taxes for businesses or is it just this fee?

A business would benefit from things like a good road, public lighting, and other public facilities - like I said I think it would be more is what you paying fair?

It is about 7 times higher than what a resident would pay.
Businesses also pay corporation tax, VAT and employer taxes.

It's a conspiracy.

So where are the funds for infrastructure repair and maintenance supposed to come from?

What type of business do you own, and what is your rate relief?

A resident, meaning a citizen?

Please note.
There are 3 questions there, so expecting 3 answers.

Then what you are saying is that the fee is unfair not that it is paying for nothing.

I am not familiar with your tax code or fees so it is difficult for me to for an opinion.

The business owner is already paying council tax at their residence.

Is this council tax a tax on a residence - in other words do all residences pay some sort of council tax.

If so - you also own a business. The business profits from things like good roads (so customers can drive to your shop for example) - a business also uses public facilities.

A business and residence are two separate entities even though in a sense a business owner may be a resident and a business but both of these entities benefit from public facilities separately.

I am not against each (even if it is one person) getting charged a tax/fee as I see the two as separate entities.

I am not sure what sort of business you have so making an assumption that you have a physical location for your business - you are using roads, public lighting, police, fire, etc for your business. When you close up shop for the day and go to your residence you again are using these public facilities for your residence. On top of it your business is profiting from using these public facilities.

The only issue I can see is if this tax/fee is fairly charged.