Wilson Announces Energy Saving Concession On Business Rates

Finance Minister Sammy Wilsonhas  given businesses parity with  their UK counterparts by  introducing a rates concession  when they install equipment such  as solar panels and wind turbines.  The Rates (Microgeneration)  Order (Northern Ireland) 2012  puts Northern Ireland on an equal  footing to the rest of the UK,  ensuring that commercial rate  payers would see no increase in  their rates bills as a consequence  of installing microgeneration  equipment, including solar  panels, wind turbines and ground  source heat pumps.  Making the announcement, Mr  Wilson explained: “This Order is a  harmonising measure which  brings practice in Northern Ireland  into line with the rest of the UK.  “It aligns this particular rating  policy with the Executive’s  Programme for Government and  the Strategic Energy Framework,  ensuring that the installation of  micro-generation equipment at  business premises does not  increase rate bills.”  This means that commercial  ratepayers who make such  improvements to their premises  between now and the next  revaluation in 2015 should see no  change in their current rates bill in  relation to the installation of  microgeneration equipment.  The Minister continued: “The  measure is about providing the  right signals to business that the  Executive and Assembly support  investments which businesses  claim might help reduce their  energy costs.  “At the moment it’s quite a modest  concession to make because  microgeneration plant adds very  little, if anything, to the rateable  value of property.  Mr Wilson added: “However,  looking ahead this may become  more significant and I do not wish  to put Northern Ireland  businesses at a disadvantage  compared to those located in the  rest of the UK.”