How your business rates bill is calculated

How we work out your annual bill using rateable values, multipliers and business rates relief.

Contents

Bill calculations

We will send you a business rates bill when you move in and then before 1 April each year. 

How much you will pay

Your business rates bill will depend on:

  • the 'rateable value (RV)' of your non-domestic property
  • the 'multiplier' which applies to your non-domestic property
  • any rate relief schemes you are eligible to receive

Rateable values

Every non-domestic property has a 'rateable value' set by the government’s Valuation Office Agency (VOA). 

A rateable value is the amount of rent a property could have been let for.

You can find your rateable value on the front of your bill.

Revaluations

Every 3 years the VOA updates the rateable value of non-domestic properties to reflect changes in the property market.

The last revaluation took place on 1 April 2026. Your rateable value is based on the cost to rent your property for a year on 1 April 2024.

The government provides temporary relief for businesses affected by the business rates revaluation. If you are eligible, this is automatically applied to your bill.

Multipliers

Business rates multipliers are the pence-per-pound rate used to calculate your bill. 

You can find your multiplier on the front of your bill.

Multipliers 2026 to 2027

From 1 April 2026 the government introduced 3 new multipliers:

  • 2 lower multipliers for businesses in retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) – replaces the RHL relief which ended on 31 March 2026
  • 1 higher multiplier for businesses with a rateable value of £500,000 and above

There are 5 multipliers in total, including the existing small business and standard multipliers.

Business (non-domestic) rates multipliers 2026 to 2027
Multiplier name Eligible properties Multiplier amount 2026 to 2027
Small business RHL multiplier (new) RHL properties with a rateable value under £51,000 38.2 pence
Standard RHL multiplier (new) RHL properties with a rateable value between £51,000 and £499,999 43 pence
National small business multiplier  Non-RHL properties with a rateable value under £51,000 43.2 pence
National standard multiplier Non-RHL properties with a rateable value between £51,000 and £499,999 48 pence
High-value multiplier (new) All properties (RHL and non-RHL) with rateable values of £500,000 or above 50.8 pence

The national multipliers are charged from the start of each new tax year (1 April). 

If you think your multiplier is wrong

You can ask us to check your multiplier.

Start now