Recent News

  1. Take Aways from the October 2024 Budget

    1. The Government announced a reduction for 2025/26 of the 2024/25 level of rates relief granted to Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) properties from 75% to 40% in England, with the relief cap per business or group remaining at the current £110,000. This will affect small businesses with low numbers of qualifying properties who will see their relief almost halved in many cases. Mid-size and large companies will simply spread the same capped relief across more
    … Read more

  2. False claims about deadlines to appeal the 2023 list for business rates

    The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has made us aware of false claims from scammers that the deadline for appeals to the 2023 rating lists is 30 June.

    This is not true. You should be wary of anyone making this claim.

    You are generally able to challenge your property valuation on the 2023 list at any time until March 2026. There are some positions where the time scale is limited by statute – for example, a … Read more

  3. NON-DOMESTIC RATING ACT 2023 CHANGES

    The 2023 Non-Domestic Rating Act received Royal Assent at the end of October.

    The Act runs to some 60 pages. This is a brief summary of the main changes.

    The background to the Act is via consultations carried out from 2020 onwards and also with regard to the “emergency” changes in law during Covid. The Act will affect liabilities for some, and administrative duties for all.

    The Rating List: Duration of a Rating List … Read more

  4. Further Changes to 2022/23 Business Rates

    The Government issued on 20/12/2021 three new pieces of information and guidance you should be aware of: -

    1. Following Royal Assent of the Bill, which has now become the Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Act 2021, this guidance has now been released in respect of the relief scheme which replaces the ability to make Material Change “appeals” for Covid factors
    2. Business rates guidance: Extension of Transitional Relief and Supporting Small Business Relief for
    … Read more

  5. Rating Coronavirus and Directors Disqualification Act

    This Bill received Royal Assent on the 15th December and has effectively barred Covid-19 as a Material Change of Circumstances for Business Rates Appeals.

    Why has this happened? Clearly because the Government were also of the opinion that it was a valid MCC and there was going to be too much tax loss.

    In its place the Government are supporting Local Authorities in England to the tune of £1.5bn in reliefs to be offered to … Read more

  6. Fundamental Changes to Ratepayer Rights and Obligations

    In the final part of our post-Budget round-up we outline the changes to introduce ratepayer mandatory duties and reduction in CCA appeal rights. 1. Duty to Inform; (D2I) The government will introduce:

    • a duty to notify the VOA of changes to the occupier and property characteristics that affect the assessment of the property for business rates. The VOA will share occupier details with billing authorities to support correct and timely business rates bills
    • mandatory provision
    … Read more

  7. Rates Exemptions for Building Improvements in their first year

    Following on in our series of Rating reform measures emanating from the October 2021 Budget, the government has announced a new relief to support investment in property improvements. This will enable businesses to adapt to meet rising demand, make improvements to their premises, and enhance productivity as employees return to the workplace. The measure will be introduced in 2023 and will be reviewed in 2028. To receive the improvement relief, ratepayers will need to demonstrate … Read more

  8. Green Initiatives for Business Rates

    The Government has published a technical consultation on reforms to the business rates system in England. This follows on from the Chancellor’s Budget Announcements in October 2021. We will outline the proposed changes in a series of Articles, this being the first. From April 2023, the government will introduce an exemption for eligible plant and machinery used in onsite renewable energy generation and storage, and a 100% relief for eligible low-carbon heat networks that have … Read more

  9. Autumn Budget Update

    Business Rates received significant attention in Wednesday’s Budget/Spending Review. At the moment these changes are England only, as Rates are a devolved issue;
    • The 2023 Revaluation is confirmed.
    • 2021/22 poundage or UBR is frozen for 2022/23.
    • For 2022/23 retail property will get 50% discount, but this is subject to a total discount nationally for a business not to exceed £110k, so businesses with multiple qualifying properties have to share one amount of £110k between them
    … Read more

  10. Consultation on More Frequent Revaluations – England

    On 1st July, the Government issued a consultation document on the above matter. The proposal is for the current nominal 5-year Revaluation period (subsequently extended to 7 years for the 2010 List and 6 years for the 2017 List) to be reduced to a set 3 year period.

    The document can be found here.

    This would appear to form part of the Chancellor’s Fundamental Review of Business Rates, currently delayed to October 2021, but … Read more