Two big things that affect business rates announced today, the first is from the budget (details below). The second is the publication of the draft rating list which sets out the new values for all commercial property ahead of the 2026 rates revaluation going live on April 1st. Any questions, feel free to give me a shout • RHL multipliers: The RHL multipliers will be 5p below their national equivalents, making the small business RHL multiplier 38.2p and the standard RHL multiplier 43p in 2026-27. The higher rate (for properties over £500,000 RV) is being set at 2.8p above the national standard multiplier and will be 50.8p in 2026-27. • Revaluation multipliers: the small business multiplier will reduce to 43.2p and the standard multiplier to 48p. • Transitional Relief scheme: The Transitional Relief caps will be as follows for properties with a rateable value of: • Up to £20,000 (£28,000 in London): in 2026-27 – 5%, in 2027-28 – 10% (plus inflation), in 2028-29 – 25% (plus inflation). • £20,001 (£28,001 in London) to £100,000: in 2026-27 – 15%, in 2027-28 – 25% (plus inflation), in 2028-29 – 40% (plus inflation). • Over £100,000: in 2026-27 – 30%, in 2027-28 – 25% (plus inflation), in 2028-29 – 25% (plus inflation). • Business rates Transitional Relief Supplement: The government is introducing a 1p supplement to the relevant tax rate for ratepayers who do not receive Transitional Relief or the Supporting Small Business scheme to partially fund Transitional Relief. This will apply for one year from 1 April 2026. • Supporting Small Business scheme 2026: will accompany the revaluation. The Supporting Small Business scheme will be expanded to include businesses who were eligible for RHL relief - this will apply for three years from 1 April 2026. • SBRR: The government will provide an additional two years of Small Business Rates Relief for businesses expanding into a second property (so will receive 3 years of SBRR relief after expanding into a second property). • Electric Vehicle (EV) charge points: a 10-year 100% business rates relief for eligible EV charge points and EV-only forecourts. • Business Rates Retention (BRR) zones and Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs): government is considering allocating MSAs a direct share of business rates from across their region, and an offer for MSAs to establish BRR zones, based on standardised criteria. They will engage with MSAs over the coming months. • Call for Evidence: the government will publish a call for evidence exploring the role of business rates in investment, as well as exploring concerns around the ‘Receipts & Expenditure’ valuation methodology. • Avoidance: the government will introduce new powers to close in on promoters of marketed tax avoidance. The government will publish a consultation on further measures to tackle promoters in early 2026.

Posted by Jon Chappell at 2025-11-26 15:06:15 UTC