How to use the business rates calculator
- 1 Enter your rateable value from the Valuation Office Agency (2026 list).
- 2 Choose the property use: retail, hospitality or leisure, or another business.
- 3 Say whether you can claim Small Business Rate Relief.
- 4 Say whether the property is a pub or live music venue, then read the bill.
Worked example
An office with a rateable value of £14,000, the business's only property. The small business multiplier of 43.2p gives £6,048. Small Business Rate Relief at £14,000 is a third (33.3%), so the bill is £4,032 a year, or £403.20 over 10 instalments. A café with a £30,000 rateable value pays the RHL rate of 38.2p: £11,460.
Reducing business rates
- Check your rateable value on the 2026 list and challenge it if wrong.
- Claim Small Business Rate Relief if you have one property.
- Confirm RHL status with your council for the lower multiplier.
- Ask about transitional relief if your bill jumped.
Plan company tax with the Corporation Tax Calculator, VAT with the VAT Calculator, and staff costs with the Employer Cost Calculator.
Features
Five multipliers
38.2p, 43.2p, 43.0p, 48.0p and 50.8p, chosen from the value and use.
Small Business Rate Relief
100% up to £12,000, tapering to nothing at £15,000.
Instalments
Shows the bill over 10 or 12 monthly instalments.
When to use it
Shops, cafés and gyms
See the saving from the new lower RHL multipliers. Work out VAT on sales with the VAT Calculator.
Small offices and workshops
Check whether Small Business Rate Relief wipes out the bill. Estimate company profits tax with the Corporation Tax Calculator.
Pubs and venues
Add the 15% relief for 2026/27.
Taking on a lease
Budget the rates before you sign. Compare with the cost of staff in the Employer Cost Calculator.
Related Tax tasks
Frequently asked questions
What are the business rates multipliers for 2026/27?
In England: 38.2p for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with a rateable value below £51,000; 43.2p for other properties below £51,000; 43.0p for RHL properties from £51,000 to £499,999; 48.0p for other properties in that range; and 50.8p for all properties with a rateable value of £500,000 or more.
How are business rates worked out?
Your rateable value, set by the Valuation Office Agency, is multiplied by the multiplier, then any reliefs are taken off. A £14,000 rateable value at 43.2p gives £6,048 before relief.
What is Small Business Rate Relief?
If your only business property has a rateable value of £12,000 or less, you pay nothing. Between £12,001 and £14,999 the relief tapers from 100% to 0%. You can keep relief on your first property for three years if you take on a second one.
What replaced retail, hospitality and leisure relief?
The 40% RHL relief ended on 31 March 2026. Qualifying RHL properties below £500,000 now get permanently lower multipliers instead, 5p below the national rates.
Is there relief for pubs in 2026/27?
Yes. Eligible pubs and live music venues in England get 15% off their bill for 2026/27, on top of other reliefs.
What is the 2026 revaluation?
All business properties in England and Wales were revalued from 1 April 2026, based on rental values at 1 April 2024. Transitional relief limits big increases, which this calculator does not include.
Does this work for Wales and Scotland?
No. Business rates are devolved and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own multipliers and reliefs. This calculator is for England only.
Do empty properties pay business rates?
Usually yes, after an initial empty period of three months (six months for industrial property). Empty properties cannot use the RHL multipliers.
Where do I find my rateable value?
On the GOV.UK 'Find a business rates valuation' service, or on your rates bill from the council.
Results are estimates based on the official rates linked above. Confirm important figures with the issuing authority or a qualified adviser before you act on them.
Built and reviewed by Hamza Farooq, founder and lead developer
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