1. Overview
New Year Overview for 2026-27
Update March 2026: The annual bills have been updated and sent on 4 March 2026.
There are multiple changes to Non-Domestic (Business) Rates taking effect from 1 April 2026.
National Revaluation
Every three years the Valuation Office Agency updates the rateable values of over 2 million commercial properties in England and Wales. This process reflects changes in the market and is known as a revaluation.
Rateable values are based on the amount of rent a property could have been let for on a set valuation date. For the 2026 revaluation, that date is 1 April 2024. Rateable values are used by local authorities to calculate business rates bills.
Find more detail about your rateable values
If you feel that your new rateable value is incorrect there is government advice on how to challenge it.
Transitional Relief
Transitional relief limits how much your bill can increase each year because of the National Revaluation.
You’ll get transitional relief if your rates go up by more than a certain amount. This means increases to your bill are phased in gradually. If you are eligible, it is applied automatically and will show on your business rates bill. The government website offers more information.
New Retail Hospitality & Leisure Multipliers
At the 2024 Autumn Budget, the UK Government announced that from 2026/27, existing business rate relief for retail, hospitality or leisure (RHL) properties would be replaced by a lower rates multiplier to calculate the business rates payable on those properties.
| Multiplier Types | Rateable Value Range | Multiplier | Multiplier with Supplement |
| Small business RHL multiplier | Up to £50,999 | 38.2p | 39.2p |
| Small business non-domestic rating multiplier | Up to £50,999 | 43.2p | 44.2p |
| Standard RHL multiplier | £51,000 to £499,999 | 43.0p | 44.0p |
| Standard non-domestic rating multiplier | £51,000 to £499,999 | 48.0p | 49.0p |
| High-value non-domestic rating multiplier | £500,000 and above | 50.8p | 51.8p |
Note - The additional 1p supplement applies to the multipliers, this has been applied to all bills. The new RHL multipliers are based on the properties use, not the valuation description.
Where we believe a property is eligible the RHL multiplier has been automatically applied. Only occupied properties can qualify for an RHL multiplier. More information is available on the government website.
Supporting Small Business Relief
You can get supporting small business relief if both of the following apply:
- Your bill will increase above the thresholds below, with effect from the 1 April 2026
- You’ve lost some or all your small business rate relief, rural rate relief, retail hospitality and leisure relief, or you were in receipt of supporting small business relief (2023 scheme) as at 31/03/2026
If eligible, your bills will go up by no more than £800 or the transitional relief percentage caps listed below (whichever is greater) for 2026/2027. This is compared to your bill in 2025/2026 (without any transitional relief).
| Rateable value | 2026/2027 |
| Up to £20,000 | 5% |
| £20,001 to £100,000 | 15% |
| Over £100,000 | 30% |
If you are eligible Supporting Small Business Relief is applied automatically and it will show on your business rates bill.
Pubs and live music venues relief
The government has announced that in 2026/2027, eligible pubs and live music venues will benefit from a 15% business rates relief on top of the support announced at the Autumn Budget 2025.