No — veterinary practices do not qualify for the lower retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) business rates multipliers in England. GOV.UK's qualifying guidance lists veterinary services among the excluded professional uses, so a 2026-27 vet bill is built on the standard multipliers of 43.2p, 48p or 50.8p per pound of rateable value. If your bill shows an RHL rate, that is an error to query with your council in writing. The reduction routes that do apply are covered in our full veterinary rates guide.
- Veterinary services are excluded from the RHL multipliers under the 2025 regulations.
- A vet practice pays 43.2p, 48p or 50.8p per pound of rateable value in 2026-27.
- The RHL multipliers sit 5p below the national rates for properties serving visiting members of the public.
- Small business rate relief still applies at a rateable value of £12,000 or less.
- A Challenge must be submitted within 4 months of the Check response.
Do vets qualify for the lower business rates multipliers?
From 1 April 2026, England runs five business rates multipliers. Two of them are lower rates for qualifying retail, hospitality and leisure properties with rateable values below £500,000, and they are worth 5p in the pound less than the national equivalents — 38.2p against 43.2p, and 43p against 48p.
To qualify, a property must be occupied and wholly or mainly used to provide in-person retail, hospitality or leisure services to visiting members of the public. The regulations behind the scheme also list whole categories of excluded uses, and the GOV.UK guidance implementing them names veterinary services explicitly under professional services, alongside law, accountancy, surveying and estate agency. Medical and health services — including medicine and dentistry — are excluded in the same schedule.
| Property | Lower RHL multiplier? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pub | Yes | Sells food and drink to visiting members of the public |
| Veterinary practice | No | Professional services exclusion |
| Dental surgery | No | Medical and health services exclusion |
| Hairdresser | Yes | In-person service to visiting members of the public |
| Gym | Yes | Recreational facilities open to members and the public |
What a veterinary practice pays in 2026-27
The standard multipliers apply:
- 43.2p for a rateable value under £51,000
- 48p for a rateable value between £51,000 and £499,999
- 50.8p for a rateable value of £500,000 or more
These figures run from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 and apply in England; the City of London sets some rates differently, and Wales operates its own devolved system. On top of the multiplier, every rateable value was rebuilt at the April 2026 revaluation from rents at 1 April 2024 — so even practices that saw no change in relief are working from a new base number.
What relief can a veterinary practice still claim?
Small business rate relief is the main one. A practice with a rateable value of £12,000 or less, as the business's only property, pays nothing. Between £12,001 and £15,000 the relief tapers from 100% down to zero — 50% at £13,500, 33% at £14,000. Your council confirms eligibility.
Supporting small business relief may apply if a property lost some or all of a previous relief because of the 1 April 2026 revaluation. GOV.UK directs ratepayers who lost retail, hospitality and leisure relief at the revaluation to check this route with their council.
Did veterinary practices get RHL relief before April 2026?
The new multipliers are designed to broadly reflect the scope of the 40% RHL relief in place in 2025-26, and professional services sat outside that relief too. The old scheme left councils a high degree of discretion over individual awards, which is why a small number of premises received relief their use would not attract under the statutory rules. Old bills are not evidence of entitlement — the current system is decided property by property against the regulations.
What to check on a veterinary practice bill
- The multiplier line. It should read 43.2p, 48p or 50.8p. An RHL rate on a vet bill is a query to raise with the council in writing.
- The rateable value. It was set from rents at 1 April 2024. Compare it against lease and comparable evidence from around that date, not against today's rent.
- The recorded property details. Floor areas and descriptions drive the valuation; consulting rooms, kennelling and retail space are each assessed within one entry, and errors in any of them are appealable.
- The route. Check the facts free through your VOA account, then Challenge within 4 months of the Check response if the issue stands. The VOA has up to 18 months to decide, and an appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for England follows within 4 months of the decision notice, with a £150 or £300 fee refunded if you win. Our appeal guide covers each stage.
Fee terms matter as much as the route: most instructions at Appeal My Rates UK are no win, no fee, though some carry fixed fees, and the basis is confirmed in writing before work starts — how much does a business rates surveyor charge explains what to check before signing anything.
FAQ
Do vets qualify for the retail, hospitality and leisure multipliers in 2026?
No. GOV.UK guidance lists veterinary services among the excluded professional services, so the standard multipliers of 43.2p, 48p or 50.8p apply to a vet practice in 2026-27.
What is the retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier worth?
It sits 5p in the pound below the national rates: 38.2p against 43.2p below £51,000 of rateable value, and 43p against 48p between £51,000 and £499,999. It is permanent from 1 April 2026.
Can a veterinary practice get small business rate relief?
Yes. 100% relief applies at a rateable value of £12,000 or less as the business’s only property, tapering to zero by £15,000 — 50% at £13,500 and 33% at £14,000.
My vet practice bill shows the RHL multiplier. What should I do?
Query it with your council in writing. Councils apply the statutory definition property by property, and veterinary services are excluded, so an RHL rate on a vet bill points to an error.
How do I challenge my veterinary practice’s rateable value?
Submit a free Check of the property details through your business rates valuation account, then a formal Challenge within 4 months of the Check response. The VOA has up to 18 months to decide.
What if the VOA rejects the Challenge?
Appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for England within 4 months of the decision notice. The £150 or £300 fee is refunded if the appeal succeeds.
One last thing
Eligibility for the RHL multipliers is decided property by property under guidance issued to councils. A retail counter selling pet products to walk-in customers does not switch a practice's main use — the assessment follows what the property is wholly or mainly used for, and for a veterinary practice that is clinical care, not retail.
Let us handle your case
Appeal My Rates UK will review your veterinary practice’s rateable value and reliefs free, before any fee is agreed.
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