The Green Enterprise Partnership’s ‘Go Green Scheme’ is open to businesses based in a non-domestic property in the London Borough of Sutton with a rateable value below £100,000 at the time of application.
Businesses that don't pay business rates (either because they are exempt as small business or because their rates are included in their rent) are eligible to join the scheme as long as the premises they occupy have a rateable value below £100,000. While these businesses may not be eligible for business rates discounts, they can still participate in the scheme and obtain Green Mark Accreditation for free.
Businesses that benefit from the Government's '2024/25 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief Scheme' are eligible to participate in the 'Go Green Scheme'. For these businesses, the business rates discount provided by the 'Go Green Scheme' will be applied after the government's relief has been applied, resulting in a final bill reduction of 92.5%.
Businesses that receive other forms of relief, such as 'Charitable Rate Relief' or 'Small Business Rate Relief', are also eligible to join the 'Go Green Scheme'. The business rates discount offered by the 'Go Green Scheme' will be applied after any other applicable relief(s) have been applied. The actual reduction in the final bill will depend on the specific type of relief(s) that the business is receiving.
For more information on how the business rates discount under the 'Go Green Scheme' and the annual partnership fee are calculated, please see the 'Annual Partnership Fee' section available in the drop-down menu.
Businesses must have appropriate licences, certification and be operating in accordance with industry or government regulations, and will not be considered if they are in breach of any contraventions.
Businesses must be trading either at the point of application, or when a business rates discount award is made. Business must not be in administration, insolvent, dormant, have applied to be removed from Companies House or have had a striking-off notice made, either at the point of application, or when a business rates discount award is made. Your Confirmation Statement and Accounts must not be overdue at Companies House at the point of application or prior to receiving a business rates discount.
To receive the business rates discount under the ‘Go Green Scheme’, businesses must be trading from the premises for which they have applied. Business must not be in administration, insolvent, dormant, have applied to be removed from Companies House or have had a striking-off notice made, either at the point of application, or when a business rates discount award is made. Your Confirmation Statement and Accounts must not be overdue at Companies House at the point of application or prior to receiving a business rates discount.
The ‘Go Green Scheme’ is subject to the Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) limits under the Subsidy Control Act 2022. Therefore, to be eligible you must not have exceeded the MFA limit of £315,000 over 3 years (consisting of the current financial year and the 2 previous financial years). MFA subsidies cumulate with each other and with other subsidies that fall within the category of ‘Minimal or Services of Public Economic Interest (SPEI) financial assistance’. The Government's Expanded Retail Discount granted in 2021/22 does not count towards the £315,000 allowance but Covid Business Grants received from the London Borough of Sutton and any other subsidies claimed under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance limit of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement should be counted.