Business Rates 2026/27 Changes
From 1 April 2026, there will be significant changes to how the Business Rates charge is calculated following the Autumn Budget on 26 November 2025. These changes may affect the amount you pay.
New Business Rates multipliers for 2026/27
From April 2026, the UK Government will introduce five new business rates multipliers.
New Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) multipliers will replace the annual 40% RHL relief that was applied in 2025. Properties with a rateable value of £500,000 and above will also have a new multiplier.
The Council will be responsible for determining which properties are eligible for these multipliers in line with government guidance.
| Category | Criteria | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Small business (RHL) multiplier | Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) businesses with RV below £51,000 | 38.2p |
| Small business (non-RHL) multiplier | Non-RHL businesses with RV below £51,000 | 43.2p |
| Standard (RHL) multiplier | RHL businesses with RV between £51,000 and £499,999 | 43.0p |
| Standard (non-RHL) multiplier | Non-RHL businesses with RV between £51,000 and £499,999 | 48.0p |
| Large property multiplier | For all properties with RV of £500,000 and above | 50.8p |
Multipliers shown in pence per pound of rateable value (RV).
Which properties will benefit from the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Multipliers?
Properties that are occupied and wholly or mainly used for qualifying retail, hospitality or leisure purposes will qualify. This is a test on the occupier's use of the property.
For a full list of qualifying criteria and exclusions please visit: Business Rates Multipliers Qualifying Retail, Hospitality or Leisure Gov.UK
Business Rates Revaluation
At revaluation, the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) updates the rateable value of business properties to reflect changes in the property market. The next revaluation will come into effect on 1 April 2026. This means your 2026 amount payable may change.
To find out what your rateable value will be from 1 April 2026 and estimate your business rates bill for the 2026/27 tax year you can use the VOA's online service: Gov.uk - Find a business rates valuation
Transitional Relief Scheme
To support ratepayers facing large bill increases at the revaluation the government is introducing a new Transitional Relief scheme. This means that if your RV increases, you may be eligible for relief. If eligible, this will cap the amount you pay, so you don't pay the full increase in one go.
Transitional Relief supplement
A 1p supplement will apply for one year from 1st April 2026 to partially fund Transitional Relief. The supplement amount displayed on the bill is calculated by multiplying your rateable value by 0.01 (1p).
For ratepayers who also receive Transitional or Supporting Small Business Relief (SSBR), the supplement will still be displayed on your bill but the cost of this will be absorbed by the Transitional Relief/SSBR awarded.
Further information on transitional relief can be found here: Transitional relief.
Pub and Live Music Venue Relief
The government announced on 27 January 2026, from April, eligible pubs and live music venues will benefit from a 15% business rate relief on top of the support announced at Budget and that bills will be frozen in real terms for a further two years.
More details about eligibility and exclusions can be found here: 1/2026: Pubs and live music venues relief 2026 to 2027 - GOV.UK
A new online estimator tool has been published to help you understand how the new relief reduces your 2026-27 business rates bill here: Estimate your business rates liability for pubs and live music venues in England - GOV.UK
Once full guidance has been issued on this scheme, we will automatically apply this relief to 2026/27 business rates bills.
2026 Supporting Small Business (SSB) Relief
Bill increases for businesses losing some or all of their small business rates relief or rural rate relief due to the revaluation will be capped at the higher of £800 or the relevant transitional relief caps from 1 April 2026. The 2026 SSB relief scheme has been expanded to ratepayers losing their Retail Hospitality and Leisure relief.
The government has also announced a one-year extension of the 2023 Supporting Small Business scheme from 1 April 2026. This support is applied before changes in other reliefs and local supplements.
Extending the Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) Grace Period
Businesses will now keep their Small Business Rates Relief on their first property for three years after they take on a second property, instead of just one year.
100% Relief for Eligible Electric Vehicle Charging Points (EVCPs) and Electric Vehicle Only Forecourts
A ten-year 100% business rates relief for EVCPs separately assessed by the VOA and Electric Vehicle only forecourts to ensure that they face no business rates liability.
