Business Rates (NNDR)
Information about business rates (also known as national non-domestic rates, or NNDR).
All businesses benefit from the services that local authorities provide. Some of these services are of direct value to businesses for instance roads, the police and fire brigade. Others, such as education and housing are indirect but nevertheless of real value to business.
The non-domestic rates, or business rates, collected by local councils are the means by which businesses and others who occupy non-domestic property make a contribution towards the cost of local services. Except in the City of London where special arrangements apply, the rates are pooled by central government and redistributed to local councils according to the number of people living in the area. This money, together with revenue from council taxpayers, revenue support grant provided by the Government and certain other sums, is used to pay for the services provided by your local council and other local authorities in your area.
News Items
Small Business Rate Relief
It was announced on 18th September 2009 that the Government has decided to remove the requirement to re-apply for Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR). The Renewal forms, that were due to be issued by the council in October 2009, will no longer be issued (see section on Small Business Rate Relief for further information).
2010 Small Business Rate Relief Rateable Value thresholds
The RV (rateable value) thresholds will be increased as part of the revaluation. Ratepayers with an RV of £5000 or below currently receive 50% relief. This will increase to £6000.
Eligible ratepayers with an RV between £5001 and £10000 receive relief on a sliding scale. The £10000 will be increased to £12000.
Properties with RVs between £6001 and £12000, relief will be available on a sliding scale from 50% down to 0% relief. i.e. for each £120 RV above £6000 the relief will be reduced by 1%.
Eligible ratepayers with an RV between £10001 and £14999 currently have their rates liability calculated using the small business non-domestic multiplier (currently 0.4p less than the national non-domestic rating multiplier). These thresholds will increase from £14999 to £17999.
Additional properties with an RV up to £2199 are currently disregarded in considering entitlement to small business rate relief. This threshold will increase to £2599.
Revaluation News
You will soon be receiving a revaluation summary from The Valuation Office Agency. For further information regarding this, and a dedicated telephone enquiry line, please download the 'Revaluation Information' document from the downloads section to the right of this page.
Check your 2010 Rateable Value
The council uses the rateable value provided by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) to work out your business rate bill. You can check your rateable value and compare it with others on the VOA website. You can also get in touch if you need to let them know of any issues.
2010 Empty Property Rate Relief Threshold
In 2009/10 all empty properties with rateable values up to £15,000 were exempt from business rates. This temporary measure has been extended for a further 12 months - the whole of 2010/11, and the threshold has been increased to a rateable value of £18,000 in line with the general movement of property values at revaluation.
From 1 April 2011 this threshold will reduce to £2600.
2010 Rural Rate Relief Thresholds
Sole shop or post office will increase from £7000 to £8500
Sole petrol station or pub will increase from £10500 to £12500
Threshold for Rural discretionary relief will increase from £14000 to £16500
2010 Stud Farms
The RV disregard implemented by the VOA will increase from £3500 to £4200
2010 Transitional Relief Scheme
Consultation ended on 23 September. Consultation responses have now been considered and the transitional arrangements for 2010 - 2015 have now been finalised. Please see related page "Transitional Arrangements" to the right of this page for details.
2010 Provisional Multipliers
The provisional small business non-domestic multiplier for 2010/11 is 40.7p.
The provisional non-domestic multiplier for 2010/11 is 41.4p