Business Rates
Non Domestic RatesThe Non-domestic rates collected by Local
Authorities are paid into a central pool and re-distributed to all charging authorities in proportion to the number of Council
Tax payers in that area. This re-distributed income, together with income from its Council taxpayers and revenues support
grant from the Government, is used to pay for the services provided by the Local Authority.
Rateable Value
The rateable value of non-domestic property, is fixed in most
cases by an Independent Valuation Officer of the Valuation Office Agency. All non-domestic property is revalued every 5 years.
From 1st April 2005, the rateable value of a property represents its open market value at 1st April 2003. The values of all
property in respect of which rates are payable to Wyre Forest District Council are shown in the local ratings list, a copy
of which may be inspected at:
The Valuation Office Agency
Crown House
Bull Ring
Kidderminster
Worcs, DY10 2AA
Tel: 01562 620100
www.voa.gov.uk
Wyre Forest District
Council
Financial Services Division
Duke House
Clensmore Street
Kidderminster
Worcs
DY10 2JX
Tel: 01562 732662
Alternatively, you can click on the logo to search the ratings list.Valuation Office Agency - Rating list.
The Valuation Officer may alter the value if he believes that
the circumstances of the property have changed. The ratepayer (and certain others who have an interest in the property) may
also in certain circumstances propose a change in value. If in any case the ratepayer and the Valuation Officer do not agree,
the matter will be reffered as an appeal to the Valuation Tribunal.
Information about the circumstances in which
a change in rateable value may be proposed and how such a proposal may be made is available from the Valuation Office at the
address shown above.
Please note that if you have appealed against your rateable
value, payment is still due as detailed on your Rates Bill and cannot be withheld pending the outcome of your appeal.
National Non-Domestic Rating Multiplier
The local authority works out the Business Rates bill by multiplying the rateable value of the property by the
appropriate multiplier. From 1st April 2005 there are two multipliers; the standard non-domestic rating multiplier and the
small business non-domestic rating multiplier. The former is higher to pay for small business rate relief. The Government
sets the multipliers for each financial year for the whole of England. The Government normally changes both multipliers every
year in line with inflation. By law, the multipliers cannot go up by more than the rate of inflation apart from some minor
adjustments to counteract losses from appeals and, in relation to the standard multiplier, to pay for small business rate
relief. In the year of a revaluation it is set at a level which will keep the total amount raised in rates after the revaluation
the same as before, plus inflation for that year. The current multipliers are shown on the front of your bill.
Small Business Rate Relief
This relief is only available to ratepayers who apply
to their local authority and who occupy either:
(b) one main property and other additional properties providing those additional properties each have a rateable value of less than £2,200.
The rateable value of the property mentioned in (a), or the aggregate rateable value of all properties mentioned in (b), must be under £15,000 outside London or £21,500 within London, including on 1st April each year.
Ratepayers who satisfy these conditions will have the bill for their single or main property calculated using the lower small business non-domestic rating multiplier rather than the ordinary non-domestic rating multiplier that is used to calculate the liability of other businesses.
In addition, if the single or main property is shown on the rating list with a rateable value of up to £10,000, the ratepayer will receive a percentage reduction in their rates bill for this property up to a maximum of 50% for a property with a rateable value of not more than £5,000.
If an application for relief is granted, provided the ratepayer’s circumstances do not change, the application will not need to be renewed until the next revaluation of non-domestic premises, which happens every five years. Certain changes in circumstances will need to be notified to the local authority by the ratepayer (other changes will be picked up by the local authority). The changes which must be notified are-
Notification
of these changes must be given to the local authority within 4 weeks of the day after the day the change happened. If this
happens, there will be no interruption to the ratepayer’s entitlement to the relief. However, failure to notify the authority
within this timeframe will mean that the ratepayer ceases to be entitled to the relief with effect from the day that the change
happened. If they are still eligible, the ratepayer will be entitled to the relief again with effect from the day that they
notify the local authority. A notification that the ratepayer has taken up occupation of an additional property must be by
way of a fresh application for relief; notice of an increase in rateable value must be given in writing.
Transitional Adjustments
Transitional arrangements
will phase in the effect of significant changes in liability which arise from the 2005 revaluation of non-domestic property.
Where appropriate, these arrangements will operate until March 2009 (when all non-domestic property will be revalued again).
There are limits on the percentage by which bills may increase or decrease each year.
Special rules deal with changes
in rateable values and the merger or splitting of existing properties.
Download
an explanatory leaflet (153K)
Unoccupied Property Rating
Non-domestic properties which are unoccupied may be liable to empty property rates. Rates are charged at 100% of the full rate bill or of the transitional bill where the transitional arrangements apply. Liability begins after the property had been empty for 3 months (6 months for Qualifying Industrial Premises). Certain types of property, such as listed buildings and properties owned by Charities, are exempt from empty property rates.
Charitable And Discretionary Relief
Charities are entitled to relief from rates on any non-domestic property which is wholly
or mainly used for charitable purposes. Relief is given at 80% of the full rate bill or the transitional bill where the transitional
arrangements apply. Apply for the charity
relief. Billing authorities have the discretion to reduce the bill further or waive it all together. Authorities can also
give relief to certain bodies not established or conducted for profit. This is a discretionary relief. The purposes of the
organisation applying for the relief must be philanthropic, religious or concerned with education, social welfare, science,
literature or the fine arts. You can download the Application Form ( 77K) here.
Please send completed forms to:
Wyre Forest District Council
Financial Services Division
Duke House
Clensmore Street
Kidderminster
Worcs
DY10 2JX
Check Your Business Rates Accounts Balance
All you need is your account reference number. Check your balance here
