How rates are worked out

We work out your business rates bill by multiplying the rateable value of the property by the appropriate multiplier.  Property values can change a good deal between each revaluation therefore some properties are subject to transitional arrangements which help to soften the effect by limiting how much a rates bill can increase or decrease by.

Who decides on the valuation of your property?

The Valuation Office Agency This link will take you to an external website... assesses each non-domestic property for business rates and then gives them a rateable value. This forms the basis on which your business rates bill is calculated. Find out more about how your rateable value is calculated here.

What is the 2012/2013 multiplier?

The multiplier for 2012/2013 has been set at 45.8 pence in the pound for the standard non-domestic rating multiplier, and 45.0 pence in the pound for the small business non-domestic rating multiplier.

Who sets the amount?

Unlike your council tax, business rates are not determined by us. Instead, the amount of the rate is determined nationally by the government. We carry out billing, collection and enforcement.

Technically, however, all the rates we collect are paid into a central 'pool', which is controlled by the government and redistributed to councils in the form of a grant. The amount each council receives depends on their resident adult populations (as at mid 1997) and the services for which they are responsible.

Multiplier

The Non-Domestic Rating Multiplier is the rate in the pound, which is set annually by the Secretary of State. Except in a revaluation year, the multiplier may not increase by more than the rate of increase in the Retail Price Index.

From 1st April 2005 there are two multipliers; the standard non-domestic rating multiplier and the small business non-domestic rating multiplier. The former is higher to pay for small business rate relief.

The multipliers specified for England to date are:

• 2012/2013
  standard multiplier 45.8 pence in the pound
  small multiplier 45.0 pence in the pound
• 2011/2012
  standard multiplier 43.3 pence in the pound
  small multiplier 42.6 pence in the pound
• 2010/2011
  standard multiplier 41.4 pence in the pound
  small multiplier 40.7 pence in the pound
• 2009/10
  standard multiplier 48.5 pence in the pound
  small multiplier 48.1 pence in the pound
• 2008/9
  standard multiplier 46.2 pence in the pound
  small multiplier 45.8 pence in the pound
• 2007/08 
  standard multiplier 44.4 pence in the pound
  small multiplier 44.1 pence in the pound
• 2006/07 
  standard multiplier 43.3 pence in the pound
  small multiplier 42.6 pence in the pound
• 2005/06  
  standard multiplier 42.2 pence in the pound
  small multiplier 41.5 pence in the pound
• 2004/05  45.6 pence in the pound
• 2003/04  44.4 pence in the pound
• 2002/03  43.7 pence in the pound
• 2001/02  43.0 pence in the pound
• 2000/01  41.6 pence in the pound
• 1999/00  48.9 pence in the pound
• 1998/99  47.4 pence in the pound
• 1997/98  45.8 pence in the pound
• 1996/97  44.9 pence in the pound
• 1995/96  43.2 pence in the pound
• 1994/95  42.3 pence in the pound
• 1993/94  41.6 pence in the pound
• 1992/93  40.2 pence in the pound
• 1991/92  38.6 pence in the pound
• 1990/91  34.8 pence in the pound

When the multiplier is multiplied by the rateable value, this produces the annual rate bill for a property (subject to transitional arrangements).

Your business rates bill shows the rateable value which applies to your property.