Rate Relief For Charity Shops

[gordiescotland1]

I was wondering how much rate rebate do charity shops in Scotland get I am fed up of going into a charity shop and seeing prices higher than you can get online and it seems a lot of them are running a business rather than a charity

[Butterbun]

Charity shops are a business. They have overheads. e.g. rent, heating bills, etc. One difference is they are manned by volunteers instead of paid staff. One or two might have a paid manager. and the goods they sell are donated items. Some of them are quite expensive and good quality so they will be sold at a higher price. I have helped out at such one shop and they do a lot of good work to help the poor. Hope this explanation helps.

[hc4361]

You seem to have got the wrong end of the stick. They are selling goods to raise money for the charity, not to give it away to customers.

[tamborine]

Scotland ? from HMRC site:

'…Charity business rates relief
Your charity is also entitled to relief from business rates - you pay no more than 20 per cent on any non-domestic property which is used for charitable purposes.…'

Charities do buy goods for retail and unless they show VAT number on receipts the retail is tax free; ie cards, papers & mags

[bednobs]

charity shops have to make a profit, one because they need to make money for the charity and two because the charities commission expects them to, or they have to cease trading.
what sort of thin gs do you see online that are also sold by charity shops?

[ummmm]

I read somewhere of a charity shop selling a Primark t-shirt for more than you could buy it new.

Charity shop workers need to know their labels. Although I do think they are much more savvy nowadays.

[tamborine]

Our locals have wifi, PCs & androids for paid staff to check online sales etc. Goods go on ebay etc. I dont approve the branch competitions that prevent them passing unsold goods to poorer stores; to increase sales income & compete.

I think they're too commercial and do little to support high streets; private traders pay towards street decorations that they refuse financial support.

[atalanta]

Charity shops really should not be allowed to sell new goods if they claim rate relief. They often sell new ornaments, for example, especially in the weeks before Christmas, and in doing so they are competing with shops which have to pay full rates, etc. That must disadvantage local gift shops, and is unfair.

[rockyracoon]

Our charity shops are well expensive which I don't mind if the stuff is good quality but they seem to have trouble telling the differences between Primark and Gucci.

I saw a lovely scarf once on sale for £20, the exact same one was £15 new in M&S.