
The Non-Domestic Rating Act passed through the final Parliamentary stages and received Royal Assent last week.
There were no surprises within the Bill, which has been debated and consulted on for years but here are the key takeaways contained within the new legislation.
- Already introduced, Revaluations have moved from five years to every three years.
- As from April 1, 2024, there are new rules over how the business rates multipliers are set and calculated. The small business multiplier will apply to all hereditaments with a Rateable Value (RV) below the multiplier threshold (currently £51,000). This will include properties occupied by charities and unoccupied properties that currently don’t qualify for the small business multiplier.
- As from April 1, 2024, there will be a 12-month relief for ratepayers facing higher bills if improvements to an existing property have increased its RV.
- As from April 1, 2024, local authorities will be able to make retrospective decisions on discretionary reliefs – in respect of the 2023/24 financial year onwards.
- There are mandatory requirements for ratepayers to inform the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) of any building changes, along with an introduction of caps on the penalties. Regulations to follow.
- As expected, the grounds for an appeal based on a “material change of circumstances” have been further restricted. Changes in legislation, licensing regimes and guidance from public bodies will no longer lead to a property’s RV changing between revaluations.
- There are a raft of new measures and exemptions supporting green investments and decarbonisation, as well as a discretionary relief, funded by local government, for low carbon heat networks.
You can see the full announcement and further details here: 4/2023: The Non-Domestic Rating Act 2023 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)