Changes to business rates
At the budget on 26 November 2025, the Chancellor announced the move from two to five multipliers from 2026/27.
The new multipliers will replace the discretionary Retail, Hospitality, and Leisure (RHL) relief with a more permanent solution for ratepayers.
The Non-Domestic Rating Multipliers for 2026/27 will be as follows:
- Small business RHL multiplier: 38.2p
- Small business non-domestic rating multiplier: 43.2p
- Standard RHL multiplier: 43.0p
- Standard non-domestic rating multiplier: 48.0p
- High-value non-domestic rating multiplier: 50.8p
Other changes
The budget also included changes to:
- Small Business Rate Relief
- Transitional Relief
- Supporting Small Business Relief
In January 2026, the government announced that eligible pubs and live music venues in England will receive a 15% reduction on their business rates bills for the 2026/27 financial year.
The government also announced that eligible pubs and live music venues’ business rates bills would be frozen in real terms in 2027/28 and 2028/29.