£1.2bn is price to councils for business rates appeals

摘要

Councils in England are braced for a £ 1.2bn loss, a result of business rates appeals this year.The estimate for the 2021-22 financial year is based on returns from all 309 billing authorities to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).A newly-published data release attributes the size of the losses to ratepayers seeking temporary reductions to rates due to a material change of circumstance following the COVID-19 pandemic.Authorities in Nottinghamshire and London have previously publicly warned the Government of a threat to council finances due to COVID-related appeals, with an estimated 350,000 businesses looking to appeal based on change of circumstances.