Self-Service

What are Business Rates?

Non-Domestic Rates, or business rates, collected by local authorities are the way that those who occupy non-domestic property contribute towards the cost of local services. Under the business rates retention arrangements introduced from 1st April 2013, authorities keep a proportion of the business rates paid locally. The money, together with revenue from council tax payers, locally generated income and grants from central government, is used to pay for the services provided by local authorities in your area.

Further information about the business rates system may be obtained at: www.gov.uk/introduction-to-business-rates

Non Domestic Rates 2024-2025: Explanatory Notes

How are Business Rates calculated?

Apart from properties that are exempt from business rates, each non-domestic property has a rateable value which is set by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), an agency of His Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

The rateable value of your property is shown on the front of your bill. This broadly represents the yearly rent the property could have been let for on the open market on a particular date specified in legislation.

To work out the business rates bill for a property the rateable value of the property is multiplied by the appropriate non-domestic multiplier.

There are two multipliers: the standard non-domestic rating multiplier and the small business non-domestic rating 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 (and who are neither entitled to certain other mandatory relief[s] nor liable for unoccupied property rates) will have their bills calculated using the lower small business non-domestic rating multiplier, rather than the standard non-domestic rating multiplier.

The current multipliers are shown on the front of your bill.

Payment of Business Rates

Payment of business rates bills is automatically set on a 10-monthly cycle. However, the Government has put in place regulations that allow ratepayers to request payments to be made over 12 monthly instalments. If you wish to take up this offer, please click on the relevant button below to submit your request:

Request for 12 Monthly instalments - Business Rates

Or you can request this by contacting us at: revenue@midsussex.gov.uk.

Should you wish to change the way you pay your bill please visit our how to pay section or by contacting us:

 

What happens if I don't pay?

Please see our What happens if I don't pay page for further information.

Can I view Business Rates data?

Please see our Business Rates Open Data page to view the data we can publish.

If you cannot find what you are looking for then please submit a Freedom of Information request.

Last updated: 12 March 2024