Rates relief does nothing for struggling office occupiers

摘要

On 16 March, in a live televised address to the nation, Boris Johnson told people "to start working from home where they possibly can". The next day, tens of thousands of people across the UK set up temporary offices in spare rooms, on kitchen tables and in their garden sheds - wherever they could find space to work. At the moment, it is unclear when these arrangements will end and people will be allowed to return to their offices. What is clear is that despite millions of square feet of offices sitting empty, companies are still paying business rates on this space. Although the chancellor Rishi Sunak announced welcome relief to retailers last month, in the form of a one-year business rates holiday, office occupiers have been left out.