Retail Services - Winners and losers in the business rates game

Shops in two-thirds of villages, towns and cities will see property values for tax rise in April while online retailers like Amazon will see tax cuts. Mark Rigby calls this a ‘hammer blow’ for small shops.

The next business rates revaluation will come into effect on April 1 and will reassess all business properties in England and Wales based on rental value as at April 2015.

Of the 424,110 shops located in the 1,149 villages, towns and cities across England and Wales, Rateable Values – used to calculate business rates – will rise in April in 791 of those locations.