If you run a business such as a shop, office, warehouse or factory then it is very likely you will have to pay business rates. In the jargon these are National Non-Domestic Property rates and your business, office or shop is counted as a non–domestic property.
The business rates are set by the Government, which shares the rates raised across the country between all councils. These rates help pay for services to businesses and local people. As a business person you will also pay Council Tax on your own home, even if that is a flat above your shop or office. There are more details on this page, but we are keen to help in any way we can.
Contact us on
Telephone: 01327 322190
Email: billing@southnorthants.gov.uk
You can contact the Valuation Office Agency:
The Valuation Office
Northgate House
Sheep Street
Northampton
NN1 2LL
Website: www.voa.gov.uk
There is also an useful website www.mybusinessrates.gov.uk - a Government-funded site, designed to provide businesses with a single source of clear and concise information on business rates.
Business Rates Deferral Scheme 2009-10
Businesses will be able to spread payment of this year's inflation up-rating to Business Rates over three years, under new legislation announced by the Government.
Under existing legislation business rates are adjusted every April in line with the Retail Price Index for the previous September. The new measures are designed to smooth the effects of the spike in inflation of 5% in September, which would have seen businesses facing an impact on their cash flow this year.
The Government will bring forward regulations under the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to allow businesses in England to spread payment of their 2009-10 increases in business rates bills over the three years to 2011-12. As a result, businesses will be able to pay a 2% annual increase in 2009-10 and the remaining 3% over the following two years. Arrangements will also be made for a proportion of increases in rates bills for other reasons, including the ending of transitional relief, to be deferred over the same period.
The Government expects that the revised regulations will be in place by the Summer. Local Billing Authorities will then write to businesses providing the option of a revised schedule of payments for 2009-10 bills. In the meantime, businesses should continue to pay their bills as normal.
Full details can be found in the CLG press release at
http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1190659
If you work from home, we will only charge business rates for the part of the property you use for work. You will pay Council Tax for the rest of the property. Sometimes, if the space you use for work is minimal, it may not be subject to business rates.
If you offer B&B in your own home to six people or fewer, you will not have to pay business rates as long as you also live there. You will have to pay council tax.
If you hire out your holiday home for more than 140 days a year or you provide B&B for more than six people at any one time, you will have to pay business rates on that part of the property. You will still have to pay council tax on the part of your property you use as your home.
Your business property will have a rateable value set by the Valuation Office every five years. Every year the Government also sets a business rates figure or “poundage” as it is called. You annual business rates bill is your rateable value multiplied by the poundage.
This figure can be affected by what are called “transitional adjustments” limiting the amount your rates can go up and down compared with the previous year. All this is explained in more detail by clicking on the links on this page.
You can pay by 10 instalments from April to January. There are many easy ways to pay:
To set up your account, download the form by clicking on Direct debit (pdf).
You can pay online, 24 hours a day 7 days a week using your Switch, Delta, Solo, Visa or MasterCard - just go to e-Payments.
Pay over the telephone using Maestro, Delta, Visa or MasterCard.
Call 01327 322322 to speak to someone, or call 0845 2300216 to pay 24 hours a day, seven days a week using the automated service.
Please take your account number with you to our office at Springfields, Towcester between 8.45am and 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45am and 4.30pm on Friday.
You can also pay at the Brackley Office at 55 Burgess Square, Brackley, Northants, NN13 7FA between 10.00am and 4.00pm Monday to Friday.
Make your cheques payable to ‘South Northamptonshire Council’. Send your payment to: Finance Division, South Northamptonshire Council, Springfields, Towcester, Northants, NN12 6AE.
You can set up a standing order with your bank. The Council's bank is Natwest and you will need to credit our account number 07845537, sort code 50-70-06. You must quote your Council Tax account number as a reference. Please allow five working days for standing order payments to reach us.
You can make a Girobank payment at any Post Office to our account number 4145127. You must quote your name, address and Council Tax account number. Please allow five working days for Girobank payments to reach us. Please note, Girobank may make a small charge for this service.
These can be used to pay with cash at any PayPoint outlet and Post Office branch anywhere in the country.
The Small Print and more!
There is plenty more information if you want it, as well as the facts and figures the Government wants us to tell you about. Just click on the links on the right hand side.