Non-domestic rates (business rates)
Non-domestic rates, also called business rates, are a property tax which help pay for local council services.
The Scottish Government sets non-domestic rates. Councils administer and collect rates.
What you need to pay: non-domestic rates
What you need to pay is based on:
- The value of your property (rateable value) - set by independent assessors - multiplied by
- A national poundage, a rate that is the ‘pence per £1 of rateable value’ to be paid - set annually by the Scottish Government, minus
- Any rates relief (discounts) your property is in receipt of – for example because it is used for charitable purposes or is in a rural area
You can find out the rateable value for any rated non-domestic property at the Scottish Assessors website.
Use the non-domestic rates calculator on the mygov.scot website to estimate your rates bill. You can also find out about any relief (discounts) your property may be eligible for.
How the process works
We announce any planned changes to rates and reliefs (discounts) as part of the yearly Scottish Budget which is published in November/December. These must be approved by the Scottish Parliament. Changes then take effect from 1 April.
Non-domestic rates: 2024 to 2025
We have announced a number of non-domestic rates measures for 2024-25 including:
- freezing the Basic Property Rate, or poundage, at 49.8p
- delivering inflationary increases to the Intermediate and Higher Property Rates, at 54.5p and 55.9p respectively
- introducing a 100% relief, capped at £110,000 per ratepayer, for hospitality properties on islands as defined by the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018
Read more about non-domestic rates measures for 2024 to 2025 in the Scottish Budget 2024 to 2025.
Improving the wider non-domestic rates system
We have made improvements to the non-domestic rates system following an independent review of non-domestic rates (the Barclay Review). These changes are designed to help support business growth and include:
- more frequent assessments of the rateable value of properties (revaluations) – every three years instead of five – to better reflect changes in the property market
- improvements to the appeals system to help make it quicker and easier to solve disputes
- administrative changes to improve ratepayer experience such as standardised bills across local councils
See a timeline of all non-domestic rates reforms and key dates.
Further information and guidance on non-domestic rates can also be found in local government finance circulars.
Deadline survey
A survey on transferred non-domestic rates appeals was carried out in 2023.
Bills and legislation
See a list of non-domestic rates legislation.
Non-domestic rates statistics
We publish information relating to non-domestic rates on revaluation appeals, and on reliefs awarded to non-domestic ratepayers, including the Small Business Bonus Scheme.
Archive
Access older versions of non-domestic rates content as well as background information on the Barclay Review at the gov.scot archive.
Contact
Email: NDR@gov.scot