2026 Revaluation
From 1 April 2026, The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has updated rateable values for all commercial properties as part of the national revaluation, which occurs every three years.
The rateable value (RV) is assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), which is an agency of HM Revenue and Customs.
You can find more information at Help with the 2026 business rates revaluation – GOV.UK
Business Rates Multipliers
From 1 April 2026, the Government is introducing a new system of five business rates multipliers. These multipliers determine how your business rates are calculated and are now based on both the use of the property and its rateable value.
Under the new structure:
- Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) properties will benefit from lower multipliers.
- Most other commercial properties will fall under either the small business multiplier or the standard multiplier.
- High‑value properties will be subject to higher multipliers.
This new five‑band system:
| Category | Rateable Value Threshold | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Small Business RHL | Below £51,000. | 38.2p |
| Small Business (non-RHL) | Below £51,000. | 43.2p |
| Standard RHL | £51,000 – £499,999 | 43.0p |
| Standard (non-RHL) | £51,000 – £499,999 | 48.0p |
| High Value (all uses) | £500,000+ | 50.8p |
Please refer to our FAQ page for further information and frequently asked questions
FAQ’S for Business Rate changes 2026/27
Transitional Relief
From 1 April 2026, the Government has introduced a £3.2 billion scheme to help ratepayers manage large increases or decreases in their business rates following the 2026 revaluation.
The aim is to prevent sudden, sharp changes in bills by phasing these changes over three years.
Transitional Relief does not change your rateable value.
It simply limits how much your bill is allowed to go up or down each year, until it reaches the full amount set by the revaluation.
Annual change caps (2026-2029)
The limits on how much your bill can change depend on your rateable value band:
| Rateable Value | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £20,000 | Up to 5% | Up to 10% | Up to 25% |
| £20,001 to £100,000 | Up to15% | Up to 25% | Up to 40% |
| Over £100,000 | Up to 30% | Up to 25% | Up to 25% |
These percentages apply to the bill, not the rateable value.
Transitional Relief Premium
The Transitional Relief premium is a temporary charge that applies from 1 April 2026. It is used to help fund the Government’s Transitional Relief scheme, which supports businesses facing significant increases due to the 2026 revaluation.
Who pays the premium?
You will pay the Transitional Relief premium if both of the following apply:
- Your property does not qualify for Transitional Relief (because your bill is not increasing or decreasing by more than the allowed limits), and
- You are not receiving Supporting Small Business Relief.
Only these businesses pay the premium.
How the premium is calculated?
The premium applies for one year only from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.
The 1p premium is calculated by multiplying 0.01 by your property’s rateable value (RV).
Why is the premium applied?
The premium helps fund the cost of providing Transitional Relief to businesses whose bills are capped. It ensures that the overall transitional system remains financially balanced without central government requiring additional funding.
How it appears on your business rates bill
The Transitional Premium will be shown on the bill before any other reliefs are applied, such as Small Business Rate Relief, Charity Relief or RHL Relief.
The premium will appear on every bill. If you qualify for Transitional Relief or Supporting Small Business Relief (SSB), the amount of relief you receive will increase to offset your premium.
This means the premium will not increase the amount you pay.
Supporting Small Business (SSB) Scheme
From 1 April 2026, you may receive support from the Supporting Small Business (SSB) Scheme if your business is facing a large increase in business rates because you are losing one of the following reliefs following the revaluation:
- Small Business Rate Relief
- Rural Rate Relief
- Retail, Hospitality & Leisure (RHL) Relief (which ends on 31 March 2026)
If you qualify, this support will be automatically applied to your account. A seperate application is not required.
If your business already receives Supporting Small Business Relief from the 2023 revaluation, your protection will be extended for a further 12 months, using the same annual caps.
How the scheme works
Your annual increase is capped. If you qualify for SSB, the amount your bill can rise each year is limited.
Your bill can only rise by the higher of £800 or the transitional relief cap for your property’s rateable value band.
These caps ensure that increases are phased in gradually over several years rather than being applied all at once.
Pubs and Live Music Venues Relief
From 1 April 2026, eligible pubs and live music venues will receive a 15% discount on their Business Rates bill.
This relief is applied automatically where eligibility can be confirmed and will be applied after all mandatory and discretionary reliefs have been taken into account.
To qualify, the property must be occupied and used wholly or mainly as one of the following:
To be considered a pub for the purposes of this relief, the property must:
- Be open to the general public
- Offer free entry, except for occasional entertainment charges
- Allow the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks without requiring food
- Have a bar counter for the purchase of drinks
The following do not qualify as pubs:
- Restaurants
- Cafés
- Nightclubs
- Snack bars
- Hotels
- Guesthouses
- Any similar businesses where the main activity is not operating as a pub
A live Music Venue. To qualify, the venue must be:
- Primarily used for live music performances
- Only host other activities (such as food and drink sales or community events) as secondary uses
The main purpose of the venue must be live music.
If you believe you qualify and the relief is not shown on your bill, please email our Business Rates team. Include your account reference number and a brief description of how your property is used so we can check this for you: revenuesandbenefits@rother.gov.uk
Further information regarding the 2026 Business Rates reliefs can be found on the GOV.UK website: Business rates relief: Types of business rates relief – GOV.UK
