{"id":10845,"date":"2023-10-20T19:16:53","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T18:16:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.qualitycompanyformations.co.uk\/blog\/?p=10845"},"modified":"2024-04-13T09:25:28","modified_gmt":"2024-04-13T08:25:28","slug":"business-rates-what-you-need-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.qualitycompanyformations.co.uk\/blog\/business-rates-what-you-need-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Business rates – what you need to know"},"content":{"rendered":"
Business rates are a type of property tax that local councils charge to the occupiers of commercial premises and other buildings used for non-domestic purposes. The rate you pay is based on the property\u2019s official \u2018rateable value\u2019. Under certain circumstances, you may also have to pay business rates for a home-based business.<\/p>\n
We explain business rates in detail below, including who needs to pay, how they are calculated, and when your rates might change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The information provided applies to properties in England and Wales – there are different systems in place for properties in Scotland and Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n Sometimes referred to as commercial rates, business rates fall into the category of property tax, and help to pay for local council services. These rates are payable on non-domestic premises, in the same way that Council Tax is payable on residential properties.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Most non-domestic premises attract business rates when they are occupied, including:<\/p>\n You might also have to pay rates if you use a residential building (or part of it) exclusively for business purposes. This includes your home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Business rates are unlikely to apply to your home-based business if you sell goods by post (i.e. an e-commerce business) or only use one of the rooms in your home as an office or workspace.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Business rates when running a business from home<\/span><\/a>\n Do I need permission to run a business from home?<\/span><\/a>\n Protect the privacy of your home with a Registered Office Service<\/span><\/a>\n <\/p>\n However, you may have to pay business rates in addition to Council Tax in the following situations:<\/p>\n It depends on the degree to which the property is used for non-domestic purposes, and whether the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) assigns a rateable value to any part of your home.<\/p>\n Business rates are handled differently in Scotland and Northern Ireland.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If your property is in Scotland<\/a>, you will pay non-domestic rates. These are set by the Scottish Government and collected by local councils. A local assessor from the Scottish Assessors Association (SAA) will work out if you need to pay and, if so, what your rateable value is.<\/p>\n If your property is in Northern Ireland<\/a>, you will pay district and regional business rates. Set each year by the Northern Ireland Executive and the district councils, your rates will be worked out and collected by Land & Property Services (LPS).<\/p>\n Most businesses occupying commercial premises or mixed-use properties are required to pay business rates. However, some non-domestic properties and certain home-based businesses are eligible for exemption.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t matter whether you operate your business as a sole trader, a limited company, or some type of partnership structure. Your liability to pay rates depends on the premises that your business occupies and how you use that property.<\/p>\n Properties that are eligible for exemption from business rates<\/a> include:<\/p>\n Some businesses can also apply for business rates relief<\/a>, which provides a reduction in the amount they have to pay. Examples of those who may be eligible for relief include:<\/p>\n Additionally, local councils may offer rates relief to your business if it benefits the local community or economy.<\/p>\n Business rates are based on your property\u2019s annual \u2018rateable value\u2019, which is calculated by the Valuation Office Agency. A range of factors are taken into consideration, including use, location, age, and (most importantly) the size of the property.<\/p>\n The rateable value is the estimated \u2018open market annual rental value\u2019 of the property at a set point in time. Basically, it is an estimate of how much it would cost to rent the property for a year, based on rental values of comparable properties at a certain date.<\/p>\n Business rates are then calculated by taking the property\u2019s rateable value and multiplying it by either the \u2018standard multiplier\u2019 (51.2 pence) or the \u2018small business multiplier\u2019 (49.9 pence).<\/p>\n The standard multiplier applies if your property\u2019s rateable value is at least \u00a351,000. The small business multiplier applies if the rateable value of your property is less than \u00a351,000.<\/p>\n You have a commercial property in England with an annual rateable value of \u00a355,000, so you use the standard multiplier to estimate your business rates.<\/p>\n In this example, the calculation is \u00a355,000 (rateable value) x \u00a30.512 (standard multiplier) = annual business rates of \u00a328,160.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You have a commercial property in England with an annual rateable value of \u00a314,000, so you use the small business multiplier to estimate your business rates.<\/p>\n In this example, the calculation is \u00a314,000 (rateable value) x \u00a30.499 (small business multiplier) = annual business rates of \u00a36,986.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Since the rateable value is less than \u00a315,000, you may also be eligible for small business rate relief to further reduce your bill.<\/p>\n There are different multipliers if your property is situated in Wales or within the City of London.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You can use GOV.UK\u2019s online services to find a business rates valuation<\/a> of a property situated in England or Wales and estimate your business rates bill<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you have any questions about your rateable value or think that it may be wrong, you should contact the Valuation Office Agency.<\/p>\n You will receive a business rates bill from your local council each year, usually in February or March. Your bill will set out your rates (less any relief) for the following tax year. You will pay it in 10 equal instalments, like you do with Council Tax.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Most businesses set up a monthly Direct Debit, but you can also pay your bill online or by phone using a debit or credit card.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you have any questions about your business rates bill, business rate relief, or how to pay, you should contact your local council for help.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You can apply to the council for small business rate relief if your property has a rateable value of less than \u00a315,000 and your business only occupies one property. However, in some cases, you may still be eligible for relief if you use a second property.<\/p>\n The amount of relief you are entitled to depends on the rateable value of your premises. If it is \u00a312,000 or less, you won\u2019t pay rates if it is the only property that your business uses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If the rateable value is between \u00a312,001 and \u00a315,000, the rate of relief will reduce gradually from 100% to 0%. For example:<\/p>\n When using more than one property for business purposes, you will continue to receive small business rate relief on your main premises for 12 months. Thereafter, you will only be eligible for relief on the main property if:<\/p>\n If your small business does not qualify for small business rate relief, you will still benefit from the small business multiplier if the rateable value of your property is below \u00a351,000.<\/p>\n Contact your local council to find out if you are eligible for small business rates relief, how to apply, and whether you are entitled to any other types of rates relief.<\/p>\n There are a number of situations that may result in changes to your property\u2019s rateable value and business rates, such as<\/p>\n You must report any changes to the Valuation Office Agency through your business rates valuation account<\/a>. This is to ensure that you are paying the correct amount and don\u2019t end up with the backdated increase in your rates bill.<\/p>\n Rates also change periodically when properties undergo a revaluation. The VOA usually reassesses and updates rateable values every six years to reflect changes in the property market. This ensures that business rates are based on up-to-date open market annual rental values.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The most recent revaluation of non-domestic properties came into effect on 1 April 2023, based on open market rental values from 1 April 2021. This fixed date of valuation is known as the Antecedent Valuation Date (AVD) and it\u2019s usually set exactly two years before the VOA compiles new non-domestic ratings lists.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you need any help with business rates, you should get in touch with either your local council or the Valuation Office Agency.<\/p>\n Contact your local council<\/a> if you have any questions about:<\/p>\nWhat are business rates?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Business rates for home-based businesses<\/h4>\n
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Business rates in Scotland and Northern Ireland\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
Do all businesses pay business rates?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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How are rates calculated?<\/h3>\n
Example 1<\/h4>\n
Example 2<\/h4>\n
How and when do I pay my bill?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Small business rate relief\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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When your business rates\u00a0might change<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Revaluation of properties\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
Getting help with business rates\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n