Business rates for pubs
Your pub was given a new rateable value on 1 April 2026, and the 2026 list is open for Check and Challenge now. We are VOA-registered agents, and reviewing your rateable value is included in The One Package.
What changed in April 2026
Every pub in England received a new rateable value on 1 April 2026. The 2023 rating list closed on 31 March 2026, so the old assessment can no longer generally be contested — but the 2026 list is open, and that is the one your current bill is based on.
The relief scheme changed at the same time. There are now five national multipliers, and eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties — which includes pubs — pay permanently lower ones.
| Rateable value | Retail, hospitality & leisure | Other property |
|---|---|---|
| Under £51,000 | 38.2p | 43.2p |
| £51,000 – £499,999 | 43.0p | 48.0p |
| £500,000 and above | 50.8p | 50.8p |
Why pub assessments are so often wrong
A pub is not valued on its floor area. It is valued on the receipts and expenditure basis, from an assumed fair maintainable trade — what the Valuation Office Agency believes a reasonably efficient operator would turn over in that building.
That assumption is where it goes wrong. If the assumed trade does not match how your pub actually trades — because the area changed, the offer changed, the trading pattern changed, or the original figures were simply wide of the mark — the valuation follows the wrong number down and the bill is wrong with it.
What we do about it
We are VOA-registered agents, so we can be appointed to act on your rateable value directly rather than handing it to a third party. We look at how your pub actually trades against the assessed figure, tell you whether there is a case, and where there is, run the Check and Challenge for you.
What we will not do is promise you a reduction. Whether the assessment moves, and how long it takes, is decided by the VOA. Any agent who guarantees you an outcome before looking at your trade is telling you something they cannot know.
What it costs
Nothing separately. A rateable value review is part of every One Package subscription at £500 a month. We do not take a percentage of a reduction, which is the model that has given rating agents their reputation.
Common questions
My pub’s rateable value changed in April 2026. Can I still challenge it?
Yes. The 2026 rating list is open for Check and Challenge. The previous 2023 list closed on 31 March 2026, so challenges now run against the new list rather than the old one.
How are pubs actually valued for business rates?
Pubs are valued on the receipts and expenditure basis, using an assumed fair maintainable trade rather than floor area. It is a specialist method, and assessments often go wrong where the assumed trade does not match how the business actually trades.
What does a rates review cost with ONEPUBS?
Nothing separately. A rateable value review is included in every One Package subscription. We do not charge a percentage of any reduction achieved.
Are you qualified to act on my rates?
Yes. We are VOA-registered agents, so we can be appointed to run Check and Challenge on your behalf directly rather than passing it to a third party.
Will my rates definitely come down?
No, and be wary of anyone who says otherwise. A review establishes whether the valuation reflects how your pub actually trades. Where it does not, we can put the case. The outcome and the timescale are decided by the Valuation Office Agency, not by us.
What are the new multipliers for pubs?
From April 2026 eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties pay 38.2p below £51,000 rateable value and 43p from £51,000 to £499,999, against 43.2p and 48p for other property. At £500,000 and above the multiplier is 50.8p regardless of use.
Run the pub. We’ll handle the infrastructure.
A venue review is free, takes about an hour, and you get the numbers whether you work with us or not.