The Role and Significance of Rates Relief for Supporting Businesses in Wales

Abstract

This paper reports on a study which seeks to evaluate the role of small business rates relief as a means of government support for small businesses, both in terms of the financial benefit for recipient businesses and the symbolic significance of rates relief as a form of state support for the small business community in general. In doing so, the paper engages with the theoretical debate regarding the effectiveness and targeting of support to small businesses and how best to achieve this. The paper is based upon a survey of 391 small business receiving rates relief in Wales. The study contributes to the literature by filling a gap in our knowledge of business perception of the impact of rates relief and identifying some of the positive and negative aspects of such support mechanisms.

Exploring the disconnect in policy implementation: A case of enterprise policy in England

“…This seems to have continued with the LEPs, since only 11% of LEPs have commissioned an evaluation of their impact (Federation of Small Business, 2014). It is important to understand and undertake evaluation, even in its most basic form to ensure value for money where issues of accountability and the opportunity cost of spending public resources are taken into account (Lenihan et al., 2005; Peck et al., 2014).…”