Is your business overpaying on rates?
The 2026 revaluation changed rateable values for every property in England. Upload your rates bill and we will check if you qualify for relief you are not getting.
No signup required. Free for UK hospitality businesses.
What are business rates?
Business rates are a tax on non-domestic properties in England and Wales, calculated by multiplying your property's rateable value by a multiplier set by the government. The Valuation Office Agency (now part of HMRC) sets the rateable value based on what your property could rent for on the open market.
The problem is that most hospitality businesses are on the wrong multiplier or missing reliefs they qualify for. The 2026 revaluation changed rateable values for every property, introduced new multipliers, and updated relief thresholds. If your bill has not been checked against the new rules, you could be paying hundreds or thousands more than you need to each year.
How this tool works
Upload your rates bill
Take a photo or upload a PDF of your council rates demand notice. Our AI reads the rateable value, multiplier, reliefs applied, and net amount payable.
Select your venue type
Tell us whether you operate a restaurant, pub, cafe, hotel, or other venue. This determines which reliefs you qualify for, including sector-specific discounts like the pubs and live music venues relief.
Get your results
See a clear verdict on whether your bill is correct, which reliefs you may be missing, and how much you could save. Download a PDF report to share with your accountant or take to your council.
6 reliefs checked automatically
RHL Multiplier
Hospitality businesses with a rateable value below 51,000 should use the RHL multiplier of 38.2p instead of the standard 48.0p. Many councils have not applied this correctly after the 2026 revaluation.
Small Business Rate Relief
Properties with a rateable value of 12,000 or less pay no rates at all. Between 12,001 and 15,000, relief tapers on a sliding scale. Many small venues do not realise they need to apply.
Pubs and Live Music Discount
From April 2026, qualifying pubs and live music venues get an additional 15% reduction, with bills frozen for two further years. This applies on top of other reliefs.
Transitional Relief
A government scheme worth 3.2 billion that caps how much your bill can increase following the 2026 revaluation, phasing in changes gradually.
Supporting Small Business
If you lost Small Business Rate Relief or RHL Relief at the 2026 revaluation, this scheme caps your annual increase at 800 per year.
Valuation Accuracy
We compare the rateable value on your bill against the official VOA record to check for discrepancies that could mean you are being overcharged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What reliefs does this tool check for?
The tool checks 6 types of relief: the RHL (Retail, Hospitality and Leisure) multiplier, Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR), Pubs and Live Music Venues Relief (15% discount), Supporting Small Business Relief, Transitional Relief, and valuation accuracy against the official VOA record.
What is the RHL multiplier?
The RHL multiplier is a reduced business rates multiplier available to qualifying hospitality, retail, and leisure properties with a rateable value below 51,000. For 2026/27 the RHL multiplier is 38.2p in the pound, compared to the standard multiplier of 48.0p and the small business multiplier of 43.2p. If your council is billing you at the standard rate, you could be overpaying by thousands per year.
What is Small Business Rate Relief?
Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) is available to businesses occupying a single property with a low rateable value. Properties with a rateable value of 12,000 or less pay no business rates at all (100% relief). Between 12,001 and 15,000, relief tapers on a sliding scale. You need to apply for this through your local council.
What changed with the 2026 revaluation?
The 2026 revaluation updated rateable values for every non-domestic property in England and Wales, based on rental evidence from 1 April 2024. New multipliers were introduced including the RHL multiplier at 38.2p. Transitional relief caps how much bills can increase year on year. Many properties saw significant changes to their rateable value, which directly affects the annual bill.
Do I need to upload my actual rates bill?
Yes. The tool uses AI to read the specific numbers from your bill, including your rateable value, the multiplier applied, any reliefs already shown, and the net amount payable. This allows us to compare what you are paying against what you should be paying based on current legislation.
Is my rates bill data kept private?
Your uploaded bill is processed in memory and is never stored on our servers. The extracted data (rateable value, multiplier, reliefs) is used only for the relief analysis during your session. We do not share your data with third parties.
How accurate is the analysis?
The relief eligibility checks use the exact thresholds and multiplier values published by the UK government for the 2026/27 rates year. The AI extraction accuracy depends on the clarity of your bill, but the relief calculations themselves are deterministic, not AI-generated. We recommend verifying any findings with your local council before taking action.
What should I do if the tool finds I am overpaying?
If the analysis identifies missing reliefs, each finding includes a link to the relevant GOV.UK page where you can learn more and apply. For multiplier issues, contact your local council to request correction. For valuation disputes, you can challenge your rateable value through the VOA website. Paddl also offers ongoing monitoring that automatically checks your bill every year.
Does this work for businesses outside England and Wales?
No. Business rates in England and Wales are administered by the Valuation Office Agency (now part of HMRC). Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate rating systems with different rules. This tool only covers properties in England and Wales.
What is the pubs and live music venues discount?
From April 2026, qualifying pubs and live music venues receive an additional 15% discount on their business rates bill, on top of any other eligible reliefs. Bills are then frozen in real terms for two further years. If you operate a pub or regularly host live music and this discount is not on your bill, you may be missing out.
Ready to check if you are overpaying?