Islington Council is set to review its Discretionary Rate Relief (DRR) policy for the period of 2026-2029, a scheme designed to alleviate business rates for eligible organisations. Organisations, regardless of prior awards, will need to reapply to the programme.
The decision was made at the Executive meeting on 27 November 2025, where councillors agreed to open a new DRR programme. The council has committed to foregoing up to £410,000 per year in income from business rates. This forgone income allows the council to leverage an additional £1.376m of relief into the borough, which is then paid to organisations alongside the council’s rate relief contribution.
The council's move aims to support independent charities, voluntary and community sector organisations, and other not-for-profit organisations within the borough.
The existing DRR policy remains unchanged and will continue to apply throughout the programme. While the specific eligibility criteria are not detailed in the meeting summary, the DRR Proposed Policy 2026-2029 document may contain this information.
The Executive has delegated award decisions to the Corporate Director for Health and Social Care, following consultation with the Executive Member for Equalities, Communities and Inclusion, for the duration of the programme or until the agreed foregone income levels are reached. The Discretionary Rate Relief Executive 27.11.2025 document provides further details on the decision.
