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Business rates changes

Changes in 2024

At the Spring Budget on 6 March 2024, the Chancellor announced further changes to business rates from 1 April 2024. These are in addition to the changes previously announced during the 2023 Autumn Statement. This includes:

  • The Empty Property Relief “reset period” will be extended from six weeks to thirteen weeks from 1 April 2024.

  • Eligible film studios will receive a 40% reduction on gross business rates bills until 2034. The relief will be implemented as soon as possible, and the change in bills will be backdated to 1 April 2024.

In the 2023 Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced a series of changes to business rates from 1 April 2024. This includes: 

  • The small business rates multiplier will be frozen at 49.9p for properties with a rateable value of less than 51,000.

  • The national business rates multiplier will increase by 6.7% to 54.6p 

  • Retail Discount will continue to be 75% for qualifying businesses for a further year. This is subject to a cap of £110,000 total relief per business.

The Non-Domestic Rating Act 2023

In October 2023 the Non-Domestic Rating Act was passed, resulting in some changes to business rates that will start in April 2024. This includes:

  • From 1 April 2024 all rates bills for properties with a rateable value of less than 51,000 will be calculated using the small business rates multiplier. This means bills for organisations that receive 80% mandatory relief and empty properties will be calculated using the small multiplier and will no longer be charged the small business supplement.

  • Some businesses that make improvements to their property will have the increase in rateable value in relation to the improvements disregarded for 12 months. Improvement Relief will be granted on their rates bill to delay the increase in their bill.

  • Heat Network relief will become mandatory. No other changes have been made to the scheme.

  • Revaluations will take place every three years, rather than every five years. This means that the rateable value of properties will be reviewed more frequently and should keep up with market changes.  

It is expected that like many of the past business rates changes, we will be able to automatically update your bills for the new financial year to show the relief your business is entitled to. New year bills will be issued in March 2024.