Rateable value

How the rateable value affects your rates bill

To work out your bill, the local authority starts by multiplying your rateable value by a factor known as the 'multiplier'.

There are two multipliers:

  • Use the standard multiplier if your rateable value is £51,000 or more
  • Use the small business multiplier if your rateable value is below £51,000

The multiplier is fixed each year by the government. Between revaluations the multiplier cannot increase by more than the annual rate of inflation for each financial year (as at the previous September). For 2018/2019, the small business multiplier has been set at 48.0p. If, for example, your rateable value is £10,000, the calculation for that year is £10,000 x 0.480 = £4,800 - this is the amount you would have to pay. There may be further calculations to go through because of transitional arrangements or relief, or both.

Listed below are tables of the standard multipliers and small business multipliers for England for previous financial years and the current financial year.

Financial year Standard multiplier
1990/91 0.348
1991/92 0.386
1992/93 0.402
1993/94 0.416
1994/95 0.423
1995/96 0.432
1996/97 0.449
1997/98 0.458
1998/99 0.474
1999/00 0.489
2000/01 0.416
2001/02 0.43
2002/03 0.437
2003/04 0.444
2004/05  0.456
2005/06 0.422  
2006/07  0.433 
2007/08  0.444
2008/09   0.462 
2009/10 0.485
2010/11 0.414
2011/12 0.433
2012/13 0.458
2013/14 0.471
2014/15 0.482
2015/16 0.493
2016/17 0.497
2017/18 0.479
2018/19 0.493
2019/20 0.504
2020/21 0.512

Small business multiplier
Small business ratepayers have a lower multiplier. For more information on rates relief for small businesses please see business rates reductions

Financial year Multiplier
2009/10 0.481
2010/11 0.407
2011/12 0.426
2012/13 0.450
2013/14 0.462
2014/15 0.471
2015/16 0.480
2016/17 0.484
2017/18 0.466
2018/19 0.480
2019/20 0.491
2020/21 0.499