Retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) relief can no longer be newly claimed: from 1 April 2026 your council applies a lower multiplier instead, so the job is to confirm you are on the right one and that your rateable value is correct.
- RHL relief was replaced from 1 April 2026 by lower multipliers for eligible properties below £500,000.
- Eligible properties below £51,000 use 38.2p; from £51,000 to £499,999 use 43p.
- Your council decides eligibility, so check your bill uses the right multiplier.
- Pubs and live music venues may also get 15% relief in 2026-27.
- Appeal My Rates UK checks the multiplier and the valuation behind it.
Why this matters
The government replaced RHL relief with two lower business rates multipliers for eligible properties with rateable values below £500,000. Councils are responsible for deciding which properties qualify, in line with government guidance. A wrong multiplier is a billing error and costs you money every month, so this is worth ten minutes.
The 2026-27 multipliers
| Property | Rateable value | Multiplier, 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Retail, hospitality or leisure | Below £51,000 | 38.2p |
| Retail, hospitality or leisure | £51,000 to £499,999 | 43p |
| Other businesses | Below £51,000 | 43.2p |
| Other businesses | £51,000 to £499,999 | 48p |
| Any property | £500,000 and above | 50.8p |
GOV.UK gives examples of eligible businesses such as shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs, cinemas, music venues, gyms, spas and hotels. The multipliers may differ in the City of London.
Before you start
- Your latest business rates bill and the rateable value on it.
- Your property's rateable value from your business rates valuation account.
- A clear description of how the property is used day to day.
The gotcha: eligibility follows how the property is used and is decided by your council, not by your trade description. A bill that uses the 48p or 43.2p multiplier for a property you believe is eligible needs raising with the council.
Estimate your bill and compare
- Open GOV.UK's Estimate your business rates guidance.
- Pick the multiplier that matches your rateable value and use.
- Multiply your rateable value by the multiplier.
- Compare the result with the annual figure on your bill.
For example, GOV.UK shows a cafe with a rateable value of £110,000 using 43p: £110,000 x 0.43 = £47,300 basic business rates for the year. Use your own rateable value, not this example.
Expected result: your own estimate beside the council's bill, with any difference identified.
Check the reliefs that still apply
- Supporting small business relief. You may be eligible if you lost some or all of your RHL relief because of the revaluation on 1 April 2026. It limits how much your bill goes up by.
- Pubs and live music venues relief. Eligible pubs and live music venues in England can get 15% off in 2026-27, on top of other reliefs. See pubs and live music venue relief in 2026-27.
- Earlier years. You may be able to claim RHL relief for previous years. Contact your local council to find out how.
A fuller comparison sits in best business rates relief schemes for small businesses.
Expected result: a list of every relief and multiplier you could be on, marked claimed or not claimed.
Raise it with the council
If the council applied the wrong multiplier, contact it in writing with your use of the property, your rateable value and the multiplier you believe applies. Ask for a revised bill and the reason if it refuses. Keep paying the bill as issued unless the council tells you otherwise.
Expected result: a revised bill, or a written reason you can test.
Second route: the rateable value itself
A correct multiplier applied to a wrong rateable value still overcharges you. If the recorded property details are wrong, raise a check case in your business rates valuation account; see Government Gateway to VOA check. Remember a review can raise a valuation as well as lower it.
Troubleshooting
- The council says the property is not eligible. Ask which part of the use falls outside the guidance and answer that point with evidence.
- You cannot find an RHL relief claim form. New claims for RHL relief are closed; the multiplier replaces it.
- Your bill rose sharply. Check supporting small business relief.
- You are near £51,000. A change in rateable value moves you between 38.2p and 43p, or 43.2p and 48p.
- You are unsure about your use class. Get it assessed before you write to the council.
What to do next
The multiplier and the rateable value are two separate checks, and both can be wrong. Appeal My Rates UK is a firm of professional rating surveyors, and we will fight your case for you where the numbers do not stack up. We assess every case free first. Most instructions are no win, no fee, but some have a fixed fee, so we confirm the fee basis in writing and VAT applies to our fees. Contact us for a free case assessment.
FAQ
Is retail, hospitality and leisure relief still available in 2026-27?
You cannot make a new claim. From 1 April 2026 the lower multipliers replace it. You may still claim relief for previous years through your council.
What is the retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier in 2026-27?
It is 38.2p for rateable values below £51,000 and 43p from £51,000 to £499,999.
Who decides if my property gets the lower multiplier?
Your council decides which properties are eligible, in line with government guidance.
What is the multiplier for properties of £500,000 or more?
Properties with a rateable value of £500,000 or more use 50.8p in 2026-27.
What if my bill went up after losing RHL relief?
You may be eligible for supporting small business relief, which limits how much your bill goes up by.
Do pubs get extra help in 2026-27?
Eligible pubs and live music venues in England can get 15% off in 2026-27, on top of any other reliefs they receive.
One last thing
When you ask for a recalculation, send the council the multiplier you expect and your own working. A clear estimate makes a billing error quick to spot and quick to correct.
