Business rates: valuation and appeals

All rateable values are reassessed every five years at a general revaluation. The current rating list is based on the 2017 revaluation.

Five-yearly revaluations make sure each ratepayer pays their fair contribution and no more, by ensuring that the share of the national rates bill paid by any one ratepayer reflects changes over time in the value of their property relative to others.

Revaluation does not raise extra money for government.

Whilst the 2017 revaluation will not increase the amount of rates collected nationally, within this overall picture, over a million properties will see their business rate liabilities reduced and some ratepayers will see increases.

For those that would otherwise see significant increases in their rates liability, the government has put in place a transitional relief scheme to limit and phase in changes in rate bills as a result of the 2017 revaluation.

To help pay for the limits on increases in bills, there also have to be limits on reductions in bills. Under the transition scheme, limits continue to apply to yearly increases and decreases until the full amount is due (rateable value times the appropriate multiplier).

The scheme applies only to the bill based on a property at the time of the revaluation. If there are any changes to the property after 1st April 2017, transitional arrangements will not normally apply to the part of a bill that relates to any increase in rateable value due to those changes.

Changes to your bill as a result of other reasons (such as because of changes to the amount of small business rate relief) are not covered by the transitional arrangements.

The transitional arrangements are applied automatically and are shown on the front of your bill.

Further information about transitional arrangements and other reliefs may be obtained from us on 0300 330 7000 or via the My Business Rates website.

More information on revaluation 2017 can be found on the VOA website.

Date last reviewed: 24/04/2019