2026 Rating List
The 2026 Rating List is effective from the 1st April 2026 and under current legislation ends on and including the 31st March 2029. Values are based upon evidence at antecedent valuation date (AVD) which is the 1st April 2024. Appeals through the Check/Challenge/Appeal (CCA) process may be made from the 1st April 2026 through to and including the 31st March 2029.
Although rateable value is generally based upon a year-to-year agreement with a notional rent as at AVD, specialist properties are valued on an alternative basis: Receipts and Expenditure and Contractor’s Basis.
Although the 2026 Rating List assessment sets the initial payment liability, reliefs, grants and exemptions may apply which may limit the actual rate liability.
The Budget 2025 incorporated the following business rate relief
- Transitional Relief – Helps to soften the change and increase between 2023 and 2026 Rating List by capping annual increases set in three brackets
- Small Property – up to and including RV
£20000 (RV £28000 London)
- Medium Range – More than RV £20000 (RV £28000 London)
- Large Property – More than RV £100000
- Transitional Relief Supplement – 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. Applies for one year from 1st April 2026.
- 2026 Supporting Small Business Scheme (SSB relief) – bill increases for businesses losing some or all of their small business rates relief, rural relief or losing RHL relief. Increase will be capped at the higher of £800.00 or the relevant transitional relief cap from 1st April 2026.
- 2023 Supporting Small Business scheme – extended for a one year from 1st April 2026.
- 100% relief for Eligible Electric Vehicles Charging Points and Electric Vehicle only forecourts (EVCP relief) – No business rate liability for ten years from 1st April 2026.
- A high-value business rates multiplier – For properties with rateable value of £500K and above at 2.8p above the national standard multiplier.
- Extending the Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) grace-period from one to three years, meaning businesses will now remain eligible for SBRR on their first property for three years after expanding into a second property.
Transitional Relief Annual Increase Cap
2026/27 2027/28 2028/29
Small 105 110 125
Medium 115 125 140
Large 130 125 125
Supporting Small Business Relief
- Eligible hereditaments will be those receiving SBRR, Rural Rate Relief, 2023 SSBR or 2025/26 RHL on 31/03/2026. The hereditament must be occupied. Charities and CASCs and not eligible.
- Any hereditament in the 2023 Rating List SSBR scheme on 31/03/2026 (including in combination with any of the other reliefs) will lose any entitlement to 2026 Rating List SSBR on 1st April 2027. Otherwise, the 2026 Rating List SSBR scheme will run for 3 years.
Multipliers
Provided from Budget 2025 and to apply rate year 2026/27
Small Retail, Hospitality & Leisure 38.2p
Small Business non-domestic rating multiplier 43.2p
Standard Retail, Hospitality & Leisure multiplier 43.0p
Standard non-domestic rating multiplier 48.0p
High Value non-domestic rating multiplier 50.8p
Pubs and Live Music Venues:
Qualifying ratepayers will receive an additional 15% relief to the rate liability 2026/27, which will be applied after applying mandatory reliefs and other discretionary reliefs.
General:
We are happy to provide an initial desktop review of 2026 Rating List assessments.
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government 11/2025, 12/2025 & 02/2026