Your business rates bill explained

We send most annual business rates bills in February or March for the financial year starting in April.

If you become liable for business rates during the year, we will send your bill as soon as possible.

What your bill shows

Your bill includes:

  • the address of the property being charged
  • the period the bill covers
  • the rateable value of your property
  • the multiplier used to work out your charge
  • any discounts or reliefs applied
  • the amount you need to pay
  • your payment schedule

View your bill online

On our OpenPortal you can:

  • View your business rates bill
  • Sign up for paperless billing
  • Register for an online account

How your bill is calculated

Your business rates bill is based on:

  • the rateable value of your property. This is set by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA)

  • the multiplier. This is set by the government each year. For 2026/27 the government has introduced new multipliers as set out below:

    Category Rateable Value (RV) Multiplier (p)
    Small Business Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Below £51,000 38.2p
    Small Business (Other) Below £51,000 43.2p
    Standard Retail, Hospitality and Leisure £51,000-£499,999 43.0p
    Standard (Other) £51,000-£499,999 48.0p
    High-Value Properties £500,000 and above 50.8p
  • any discounts or reliefs you are entitled to
  • Business Rates Transitional Relief Supplement: The government announced in the Budget on 26 November 2025 that a 1p supplement would be applied to relevant bills for one year from 1 April 2026

Example:

If your property’s rateable value is £10,000 and the multiplier is 43.0p plus 1p Transitional Relief Supplement, your bill before any reliefs would be £4,400.

To see how your bill was calculated this year, read the business rates explanatory notes.

If you think your bill is wrong

Use our online form to contact the business rates team if:

  • you think your bill is incorrect
  • you have questions about your bill
  • your circumstances have changed

Greater Manchester Combined Authority Precepts:

  • Mayoral Police and Crime Commissioner Precept
  • Mayoral General Precept (including Fire Services)
  • Greater Manchester Transport
  • GMCA Waste and Resource Management

2026/27 precept information is available via the GMCA decision notice - Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

Council Tax Facts and Figures

Our spending plan outlines how services are funded through Council Tax and business rates. View what Council Tax pays for.