Annual billing

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, 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.

Complete the online form to 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.

Any outstanding amount to pay will be shown on your annual bill as 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.