The government introduced a pubs and live music venues relief for business rates in England: a 15% reduction on 2026/27 bills, followed by a larger 20% cut announced for 2027/28.
Who qualifies
Council guidance says a pub must broadly:
- be open to the general public,
- allow free entry (except for occasional entertainment),
- allow drinking without requiring food, and
- serve drinks at a bar.
Restaurants, cafés, nightclubs, hotels and guest houses are excluded. Pubs with letting rooms should check with their council how the relief applies to them. Councils apply the relief automatically in most cases; if your bill doesn't show it and you think you qualify, contact your council.
How it interacts with your valuation
The relief is a percentage off the bill, so it applies after your rateable value is set. If your rateable value is too high, you still pay too much, just slightly less of it. A correct valuation and the relief work together.
Questions
Is the pubs relief applied before or after transitional relief?
Council guidance says the relief is applied after transitional relief or Supporting Small Businesses relief.
Do pubs still get small business rate relief?
Yes, if they qualify. Small business rate relief removes the bill entirely for a single property with a rateable value of £12,000 or less, and tapers off up to £15,000.
Will the relief continue after 2028?
The government has announced support to 2028/29. What happens after the 2029 revaluation is not yet known.