Who is required to pay business rates and how business rates are calculated for a property (valuation).
What are business rates?
Business rates are a local tax that is paid by the occupiers of all non-domestic/business property, in the same way that council tax is a tax on domestic property.
Find out more about business rates.
How your bill is calculated
The Valuation Office Agency sets the rateable value of business premises by using property details such as rental information.
We use the rateable value and the business rates multiplier (set by central government) to calculate your business rates bill.
Find out more about how your bill is calculated.
If you think your rateable value is incorrect, you can make a business rate appeal.
Making an appeal does not allow you to withhold payment of business rates. If your appeal is successful you will receive a refund of any overpaid rates. Interest will be paid providing recovery action has not been instigated by the council by obtaining a liability order at a magistrates court and Government has set an interest rate as applicable for that particular year.
What is a revaluation?
The VOA regularly reassess and update the rateable values of all business properties usually every five years. Find out more about revaluation.
Payment difficulties
Business rates - non-domestic rates multiplier
It is set annually by the government and except in a revaluation year cannot, by law, rise by more than the retail prices index.
| Year | Multiplier | Small business multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| 2004/2005 | 45.6p | Not introduced |
| 2005/2006 | 42.2p | 41.5p |
| 2006/2007 | 43.3p | 42.6p |
| 2007/2008 | 44.4p | 44.1p |
| 2008/2009 | 46.2p | 45.8p |
| 2009/2010 | 48.5p | 48.1p |
| 2010/2011 | 41.4p | 40.7p |
| 2011/2012 | 43.3p | 42.6p |
| 2012/2013 | 45.8p | 45.0p |
| 2013/2014 | 47.1p | 46.2p |
| 2014/2015 | 48.2p | 47.1p |
| 2015/2016 | 49.3p | 48.0p |
| 2016/2017 | 49.7p | 48.4p |
| 2017/2018 | 47.9p | 46.6p |
| 2018/2019 | 48.0p | 49.3p |
| 2019/2020 | 50.4p | 49.1p |