Business rates bill: explanatory notes

Non-domestic rates (NDR)

Non-domestic rates, or business rates, collected by local authorities are the way that those who occupy non-domestic property contribute towards the cost of local services. Under the business rates retention arrangements introduced from 1 April 2013, authorities keep a proportion of the business rates paid locally.

The money, together with revenue from council taxpayers, locally generated income and grants from central government, is used to pay for the services provided by local authorities in your area.

Business rates instalments

Payment of business rate bills is automatically set on a 10-monthly cycle. However, the government has put in place regulations that allow ratepayers to require their local authority to enable payments to be made through 12 monthly instalments.

If you would like to apply for 12 monthly installments, please contact us online.

National non-domestic rating (NDR) multiplier

We work out the business rates bill for a property by multiplying the rateable value of the property by the appropriate non-domestic multiplier.

There are two multipliers: the national non-domestic rating multiplier and the small business non-domestic rating multiplier. The government sets the multipliers for each financial year, except in the City of London where special arrangements apply.

Ratepayers who occupy a property with a rateable value which does not exceed £50,999 (and who are not entitled to certain other mandatory relief[s] or are liable for unoccupied property rates) will have their bills calculated using the lower small business non-domestic rating multiplier, rather than the national non-domestic rating multiplier.

The multiplier for a financial year is based on the previous year’s multiplier adjusted to reflect the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation figure for the September prior to the billing year.

The current multipliers are shown on the front of your bill.

Rateable value

Apart from properties that are exempt from business rates, each non-domestic property has a rateable value which is set by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), an agency of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

View a full list of rateable values

The rateable value of your property is shown on the front of your bill.

This broadly represents the yearly rent the property could have been let for on the open market on a particular date specified in legislation. The current rating list was set on 1 April 2021.

The Valuation Office Agency may alter the valuation if circumstances change. The ratepayer (and certain others who have an interest in the property) can also check and challenge the valuation shown in the list if they believe it is wrong.

Find out how to check and challenge the rateable value of your property

Revaluations

All non-domestic property rateable values are reassessed at revaluations. The most recent revaluation took effect from 1 April 2023. Revaluations ensure that business rates bills are up-to-date, more accurately reflect current rental values and relative changes in rents.

Frequent revaluations ensure the system continues to be responsive to changing economic conditions.

Business rates relief

Depending on individual circumstances, a ratepayer may be eligible for a rate relief, such as a reduction in your business rates bill.

There are a range of available reliefs. Some of the permanent reliefs are set out below but temporary reliefs are often introduced by the government at budgets.

Temporary reliefs

Some of the permanent reliefs are set out below. Other temporary reliefs may be introduced by the government.

Please contact us for details on the latest availability of business rates reliefs and advice on whether you may qualify.

Small business rates relief

If a ratepayer’s sole or main property has a rateable value which does not exceed an amount set out in regulations, the ratepayer may receive a percentage reduction in their rates bill for this property of up to a maximum of 100%. The level of reduction will depend on the rateable value of the property – for example eligible properties below a specified lower threshold will receive 100% relief, and you may receive partial tapered relief up to a specified upper threshold.

The relevant thresholds for relief are set out in regulations and can be obtained from us.

Generally, this percentage reduction (relief) is only available to ratepayers who occupy either:

(a) one property, or
(b) one main property and other additional properties providing those additional properties each have a rateable value which does not exceed the limit set in regulations.

The aggregate rateable value of all the properties mentioned in (b), must also not exceed an amount set in regulations. For those businesses that take on an additional property which would normally have meant the loss of small business rate relief, they will be allowed to keep that relief for a fixed additional period.

Full details on the relevant limits in relation to second properties and the current period for which a ratepayer may continue to receive relief after taking on an additional property can be obtained from us.

Certain changes in circumstances will need to be notified to us by the ratepayer who is in receipt of relief. Other changes will be picked up by us.

The changes which you should notify us about include:

the property falls vacant
the ratepayer taking up occupation of an additional property
an increase in the rateable value of a property occupied by the ratepayer in an area other than the area of the local authority which granted the relief.

Report a change in your circumstances

Charity and community amateur sports club relief

Charities and registered community amateur sports clubs are entitled to 80% relief where the property is occupied by the charity or the club and is wholly or mainly used for the charitable purposes of the charity (or of that and other charities), or for the purposes of the club (or of that and other clubs).

We have discretion to give further relief on the remaining bill.

Unoccupied property rate relief

Business rates are generally payable in respect of unoccupied non-domestic property. However, they are generally not payable for the first three months that a property is empty.

This is extended to six months in the case of certain other properties, for example, industrial premises.

Transitional rate relief

At a revaluation, some ratepayers will see reductions or no change in their bill whereas some ratepayers will see increases.

Transitional relief schemes are introduced at each revaluation to help those facing increases. Transitional relief is applied automatically to bills.

Local discounts

Local authorities have a general power to grant discretionary local discounts and to give hardship relief in specific circumstances.

Rating advisers

Ratepayers do not have to be represented in discussions about their rateable value or their rates bill. However, ratepayers who do wish to be represented should be aware that members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation are qualified and are regulated by rules of professional conduct designed to protect the public from misconduct.

Before you employ a rating adviser or company you should check that they have the necessary knowledge and expertise, as well as appropriate indemnity insurance. Take great care and, if necessary, seek further advice before entering into any contract.

Information supplied with demand notices

View information about our gross expenditure

A hard copy is available on request by writing to Woking Borough Council or at 01483 755 855.

Rate relief for businesses in rural areas

Certain types of properties in a rural settlement with a population below 3,000 may be entitled to 100% rural rate relief from 1 April 2024.

Eligibility

The property must be occupied.
The property must be the only general store, the only post office or a food shop with a rateable value of less than £8,500, or
The property must be the only public house or the only petrol station with a rateable value of less than £12,500.