Ellie Ames 26 September 2023

‘Box shifting’ loophole costing councils £250m a year

‘Box shifting’ loophole costing councils £250m a year  image
Image: William Barton / Shutterstock.com.

Councils in England could save £250m annually if a legal loophole that enables landlords to avoid business rates was closed, according to the campaign Ban Box Shifting.

The practise of ‘box shifting’ involves landlords placing boxes in vacant commercial properties for six weeks in order to trigger an empty property relief period of three or six months.

At the end of the rates-free period, boxes are put back in the space for another six weeks and the cycle continues, the campaign group has said.

In response to a consultation on business rates avoidance and evasion, campaigners have called for the Government to replicate recent Welsh legislation that increased the period of ‘occupation’ that activates business rates exemption from six weeks to six months.

Shaylesh Patel said he launched the Ban Box Shifting campaign to ‘call for a fair system that regenerates our high streets and puts money back in the pockets of councils and local communities’.

Ealing Council cabinet member for decent living incomes Cllr Bassam Mahfouz said: ‘Stamping down on unethical business rates avoidance is a necessary step for councils across the country in urgent need of financing critical services.

‘By supporting this campaign, we are taking a stand against business rates avoidance and working towards a more sustainable and ethical system that benefits our local communities, charities, and businesses.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Principal Engineer - Urban Traffic Control (UTC)

Liverpool City Council
£44,711 - £49,764
Liverpool is home to vibrant, energetic and engaged communities. Liverpool, Merseyside
Recuriter: Liverpool City Council

Social Worker Campaign - Adult Services

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council
Negotiable
Support residents to live more independently, with compassion at the heart of your workSupport residents to live more independently, with compassion a England, London
Recuriter: The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council

Prinicipal Surveyor

Durham County Council
Grade 14 £ 48,710 to £52,805 pa (Pay Award Pending)
We are looking for an individual who has specialist knowledge of property and property processes and who has a professional, positive, enthusiastic an Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Customer Service Adviser (Saturday)

Oxfordshire County Council
£24404 - £24790
About the Role Customer Service Advisers are the first point of contact with library customers and library partners. The role involves continual interaction with users of the library, face to face, via email or by telephone and is a job where you can have Summertown Library, South Parade, Oxford
Recuriter: Oxfordshire County Council

Continuous Improvement Audit Lead

Oxfordshire County Council
£57178 - £60485
About the Role The Continuous Improvement Audit Lead will work collaboratively across our Children, Education and Families directorate, using learning from quality assurance activity to strengthen and develop all areas of children’s services’ skills, Oxford
Recuriter: Oxfordshire County Council
Linkedin Banner