Business rates and your bill

Business rates (non-domestic rates) are how businesses that occupy non-domestic property help pay for services we provide in Islington. Some also goes to government and the Greater London Authority to pay for other services, like police and fire brigade.

Who pays business rates

Business rates are charged to businesses who occupy non-domestic properties, like:

• shops
• offices
• pubs
• warehouses
• factories
• holiday rental homes or guest houses

When you will get your bill

We usually send you a business rates bill every year around March.

For the year 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, we will be processing and issuing your bills from mid-April. This is because we could not issue bills before the government published its new business rates information which was later than expected.

If you have questions about your bill, wait until you receive it after mid-April.

Paying your bill

Choose how you pay your bill including direct debit.

How we work out your business rates bill

We work out your bill by multiplying the rateable value of the property by the the correct non-domestic multiplier. You can get an estimate of your business rates on GOV.UK.

Rateable value

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) gives each non-domestic property a rateable value, unless it is exempt from business rates. The rateable value estimates the yearly rent the property could have been let for on the open market on as of 1 April 2024.

Your property's rateable value is shown on your bill.

Challenging your rateable value

The valuation officer may change the value if your circumstances change. The ratepayer, and others who have an interest in the property, can appeal against the value if they think it is wrong. Full details on your rights of appeal are available from the Valuation Office Agency.

Find out more and how to appeal on GOV.UK.

Revaluations

All non-domestic property rateable values are reassessed at revaluations. The most recent revaluation took effect from 1 April 2026.

Revaluations ensure that business rates bills are current and accurate to current rental values and relative changes in rents.

Multipliers

There are five multipliers set by the government each financial year (1 April to 31 March). The current multiplier is on your bill. 

Retail, hospitality and leisure multipliers

The new retail, hospitality and leisure multipliers replace the 40% relief scheme that ends on 31 March 2026. Business must be only or mainly used as a retail, hospitality or leisure business open to the public to qualify for a retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier.

Supplement for transitional relief

The government introduced a transitional relief scheme to put a limit on increases to bills where the rates are going up because of an increase in rateable value. The 1p supplement to all properties help fund the transitional relief scheme.

Example

If your rateable value is £60,000, and you are not a retail, hospitality or leisure business, your multiplier for properties between £51,000 and £499,999 is 48 pence. Your estimate for business rates would be:

£60,000 (rateable value) x £0.48 pence (multiplier) = £28,800 (basic business rates for the year).

Business rate reliefs

You may be eligible for a rate relief (a reduction in your business rates bill). Find out what reliefs are available.

Contact us

• Email: business.rates@islington.gov.uk
• Phone: 020 7527 2633

Enforcement agent

If you have received a letter from an enforcement agent then you must call them using their contact details.