Businesses occupying one property with a rateable value of less than £15,000 or several properties with a total rateable value of less than £15,000 have until September 30 to claim their Small Business Rate Relief for the year to March 31, 2006.

The relief is available on a sliding scale and can be claimed from the relevant local authority.

It is thought that out of 875,000 UK businesses, only 425,000 had applied up until July this year. The relief is available to all businesses in England.

The property must have been shown on the local non domestic rating list on April 1 of the year of claim and ratepayers who qualify for mandatory reliefs eg charities do not qualify.

If property falls below the threshold, then businesses should apply the small business non-domestic multiplier of 41.5p per £ (for 2005/06).

For example: for a rateable value of £4,999 the relief is worth £1,088, as when the rateable value is less than £5,000 businesses can obtain a reduction of 50 per cent of their full charge for rates.

If the rateable value is £12,000, the relief is only worth £84 but you can claim three years at once making it more worthwhile.

Neil Beck, Partner at Oxford-based Wellers Accountants said: "It may be that many businesses have simply not been informed about this tax relief. Businesses should contact their local authority for the relevant application form, but must also remember to inform the local authority if their circumstances change."