Billing and recovery
Billing
Business Rates bills are issued every year around the middle of April. New bills will be issued during the year if there are changes to your account.
Details of the amounts due are shown on your bill. Business Rates can be paid in 10 monthly instalments or in a single lump sum payment.
Pay by instalments
You can pay in monthly instalments on the first of each month between May and February, or by Direct Debit in either 10 or 11 monthly instalments on 1, 5, 15 or 25 of each month. For bills issued after April, instalments start in the month following issue. Payment at the Post Office must be paid earlier and reach us by the first of each month.
Pay by lump sum
Ratepayers can pay their full year charge in one lump sum; the sum is payable on or before the 1 May.
Recovery
In previous billing years, where Business Rates had not been paid in line with the billed instalments, recovery could only start at the point where the account was more than four months in arrears.
From 1 April 2022, we are now required to begin the recovery process as soon as any instalment is more than one month in arrears.
This means that businesses must pay their first instalment in May and don't have the option to defer payment to September.
Non Payment
Failure to pay instalments on time could result in the full balance becoming due immediately.
If rates remain outstanding 14 days after issue of a Final Notice, we may apply for a Summary Warrant. In this instance, the full amount outstanding will become payable, together with a penalty of 10% of amount due. If unpaid, this may result in legal proceedings against you to recover the debt.