Town halls to lose cash over delays to rates bills

摘要

Councils risk losing out on a 'significant amount' of business rates income after the Treasury asked them to delay sending out bills, a finance expert has warned. The Treasury has asked councils to delay sending out business rates bills until after the Budget, raising the prospect of changes. Associate director of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, Andy Burns, said: 'If this is to be taken forward, Government must extend the 2020-21 measures in place to minimise adverse cashflow implications for those authorities who comply.' In a written statement last week, Treasury minister Jesse Norman said local authorities should 'consider issuing business rates bills' after the Budget,which is due to be announced by chancellor Rishi Sunak on 3 March.