What are Non-Domestic Business Rates?

The Non-Domestic Rates, or Business Rates, collected by local councils are the means by which businesses and others who occupy non-domestic property make a contribution towards the cost of local services.

Except in the City of London where special arrangements apply, the rates are pooled by central government and redistributed to local councils according to the number of people living in the area. This money, together with revenue from council tax payers, revenue support grant provided by the Government and certain other sums, is used to pay for the services provided by your local council and other local authorities in your area.

National Non-Domestic Rating Multiplier
The local council works out the Business Rates bill by multiplying the rateable value of the property by the multiplier or 'poundage' which the Government sets from 1 April each year for the whole of England. The Government normally changes the multiplier every year to move in line with inflation.

By law, the multiplier cannot go up by more than the rate of inflation, except in the year of a revaluation when it is set at a level which will keep the total amount raised in rates after the revaluation the same as before, plus inflation for that year. The current multiplier will be shown on the front of this bill.