Annual billing

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) regularly updates the rateable values of all business and other non-domestic properties (properties that are not just private homes) in England and Wales. This is called a revaluation. Revaluation 2023 will impact the rateable values of all 2.14 million non-domestic properties in England and Wales. 

Rateable values are the amount of rent a property could have been let for on a set valuation date. For the 2023 valuation, that date was 1 April 2021.

We use these rateable values to calculate business rates bills.

The next revaluation will come into effect on 1 April 2023 and your new rateable value is reflected in your Annual Bill that we will issue in the middle of March 2023.

The role of Telford & Wrekin Council and the Valuation Office Agency

Telford & Wrekin Council are responsible for anything to do with your business rates bill.

The VOA is responsible for the valuation of your property. You will therefore need to contact the VOA for all queries about your rateable value.

Where can I view my rateable value

You are now able to see the future rateable value for your property and get an estimate of what your 2023/24 business rates bill may be. 

You can do this through the VOA's Find a Business Rates Valuation Service on GOV.UK.

Your property details need changing or you think your rateable value is too high

To tell the VOA about changes to your property details (such as floor area sizes and parking) you need a business rates valuation account. The VOA may accept your changes and update the current and future valuations.

From 1 April 2023, you will need to use a business rates valuation account to tell the VOA you think your rateable value is too high. You must continue to pay your business rates as normal until a decision has been made.

Visit the GOV.UK website to check and challenge your business rates valuation.

How Coronavirus (COVID-19) affected future rateable values

The VOA bases most rateable values on an estimate of what it would cost to rent a property for a year, starting on a certain date.

For the 2023 valuation, that date was 1 April 2021. This was during the pandemic and the rent information the VOA used reflected this.

We aim to issue your annual business rates bill between the 1 March and 15 March each year. This is to ensure that we give you as much notice as possible before your new charge commences on the 1 April. Your bill will either be delivered electronically or via post depending on your communication preference. 

Your new charge commences on the 1 April so depending on your instalment preference, your first instalment will be due between the 1 April and 30 April. The exact date will be detailed on the bottom of your bill.

Payment of business rates is automatically collected over 10 months. However, you can request to make payments over 12 months. If you wish to amend your instalment plan please contact the Business Rates team.

If you are already paying your business rates by direct debit you do not have to contact us or your bank to continue paying this way. When you receive your annual bill it will detail ‘direct debit’ in the box directly below ‘Payment Instruction’.

If it doesn’t, then you can sign up to pay by direct debit.

Please note: if you pay by standing order you must notify your bank of the new instalments. Failure to do so, could result in recovery action.

For further information relating to your business rates calculation please visit GOV.UK to find and check your business rates valuation.

The Government changes the multiplier every year in line with inflation. By law, the multiplier cannot go up by more than the rate of inflation, except in the year of a revaluation. The current multiplier will be shown on your bill.

In addition, usually every 5 years, a revaluation takes place. This is where the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) adjusts the rateable value of business properties to reflect changes in the property market. The most recent revaluation came into effect in England on 1 April 2023. However if your circumstances change the VOA may alter the rateable value between revaluations for example if your property has an extension.

Under the business rates retention arrangements introduced from the 1 April 2013, authorities keep a proportion of the business rates paid locally.

The money, together with revenue from council tax payers, revenue support grant provided by the government and certain other sums, is used to pay for the services provided by Telford & Wrekin Council.

If you are in arrears your annual bill will show a balance brought forward from the previous year.

Please bear in mind that the bills are produced at the beginning of March and may not include any payments you have made since this date. You can view an up to date account balance by logging into your My Business Rates account.

Any arrears/balance brought forward will not be included in the instalment amounts and are payable immediately.

Please visit the eStore payment system to make an online payment or contact the Business Rates team to discuss a payment arrangement.