Business Rates and relief

Business Rates are the way that those who occupy non-domestic property contribute towards the cost of local services.

We keep a proportion of the Business Rates paid locally. The money, together with revenue from Council Tax payers, Government grants and certain other sums, is used to pay for services that we provide.

Our Council Tax Guide 2026-2027 (pdf, 9.8mb) shows how your money is constantly being invested in the District. More information can be found on the dedicated Council Tax Guide page.

Business Rates payable

The local authority works out the business rates bill for a property by multiplying the rateable value of the property by the appropriate non-domestic multiplier. There are five multipliers: the standard non-domestic rating multiplier, the small business non- domestic rating multiplier, the small retail, hospitality & leisure multiplier, the standard retail, hospitality & leisure multiplier and the high value multiplier. The government sets the multipliers for each financial year, except in the City of London where special arrangements apply.

Ratepayers who occupy a property with a rateable value which does not exceed £50,999 will have their bills calculated using the lower small business non-domestic rating multiplier, rather than the standard non-domestic rating multiplier. Those ratepayers who occupy qualifying retail, hospitality & leisure properties will have their bills calculated using the relevant retail, hospitality & leisure multiplier dependent on the rateable value, and a high-value multiplier for properties with rateable values of £500k and above The current multipliers are shown on your bill.

We send an annual bill every March setting out how much you have to pay in total for the year and the amount due monthly. 

You can sign in/register for a personalised Business Rates account to see payments you have made and are due, as well as copies of bills and correspondence we have sent you.

View our explanatory notes (docx, 25kb) for more information on Non-Domestic Rates.

From 1st April 2026 the Goverment introduced a temporary Transitional Supplement

What is the Transitional Relief Supplement

To help pay for the cost of providing Transitional Relief nationally, the Government introduced a temporary 1 pence supplement (1p in the pound) on the business rates multiplier for 2026/2027 billing year only.

The supplement only applies to ratepayers who do NOT receive Transitional Relief or Supporting Small Business Relief. If you receive either of those reliefs, you will not pay the supplement.

The Transitional Relief Supplement will show on all bills, including those where the supplement hasn’t been charged. This is a requirement of the regulations. The supplement will not have been used to calculate your charge payable if it is not applicable, as shown below.

If you do NOT qualify for Transitional Relief or Supporting Small Business Relief:

  • Your multiplier increases by 1p (e.g. from 43.2p to 44.2p)
  • The supplement applies for one year only (2026/27).

If your RV is 30,000, then:

  • 1p supplement = £0.01 × 30,000
  • Additional amount payable = £300 for the year.

This does not affect new properties brought into the rating list from 1st April 2026 but is applicable to hereditaments that have been created from splits/mergers of an existing hereditament already in the list.

Appeals against your rateable value

If you wish to appeal against your rateable value you must do so via the Valuation Office Agency.  You can do this be registering on-line for a ‘Business Rates Valuation account’. From here you can check the details that has been used to determine your Rateable Value.

More information can be found about business rates and their Rateable Value at  Valuation Office Agency

Alternatively you can write to them at:

Non-domestic Rates East 
Valuation Office Agency 
Rosebery Court 
Central Avenue 
St Andrews Business Park 
Norwich 
NR7 OHS

Email: www.gov.uk/correct-your-business-rates

Any payments stated on your Business Rates bill are still payable while an appeal is in progress

Business Rates relief

In most cases we will have already calculated any entitlement to relief where we are aware of circumstances. Transitional Relief is calculated automatically as it forms part of the calculation to determine the business rates payable.

Supporting Small Business Relief will be automatically applied to cap the increase to £800 or the relevant caps within transitional relief (whichever is the greatest), where the 2026 Revaluation has resulted in a loss or reduction of Small Business Rate Relief, 40% Retail Relief or Rural Rate Relief  Supporting Small Business Relief. Please note that this relief is subject to Subsidy Control Limits so if you believe that your business entity (ie any person, or groups under common control) will breach the limits over a rolling 3 year period then you must contact us so we can review the relief. Subsidy Control Guidance

Please complete the Subsidy Control Declaration Form and return to ctaxnndr@southderbyshire.gov.uk Subsidy Contol Declaration Form (docx, 14kb)

You may be eligible to be granted Business Rates relief which include:

If you have a business in a rural area of South Derbyshire you may be eligible for Rural Rate Relief. Please read our 2024 Rural Rate Relief List (pdf, 123kb) to find out more and see if you're eligible.

If you want to apply for small business rates relief, complete our application form. (pdf, 158kb) If you are eligible for any of the above relief, contact us at ctaxnndr@southderbyshire.gov.uk for further information and advice.

Where an award is discretionary we will require an application from you supported by two years of trading accounts, please note that this relief is subject to Subsidy Control limit, see above.

From 1st April 2026, the Govenment announced a 15% Pub Relief which is applicable for 1 year. This should have been automatically applied to those businesses which meet the criteria for this relief Pub and Live Music Venues Relief when the annual bills were issued. If you believe you are entitled to this relief and you have not received it please contact us at ctaxnndr@southderbyshire.gov.uk