The Court of Appeal has thrown out an appeal from the London Borough of Merton which argued that a Nuffield Health leisure centre should be fully liable for business rates.
Tom Kiernan, associate at law firm Dentons, says a landmark Supreme Court appeal on alleged business rates avoidance is good news for local authorities.
The Supreme Court has allowed a group of local authorities to pursue a claim for business rates against landlords who transferred properties to special purpose vehicles, in a case which could result...
A decision by NHS trusts to back down in their legal battle to receive business rates rebates removes a huge headache for local authorities, experts have told PF.
A government consultation on business rates has found widespread opposition to its replacement by a capital values tax – but the idea of an online service tax got a warmer welcome.
A permanent drop in council income streams mean the government’s pre-Covid-19 strategy for reforming local government funding is a “busted flush”, according to Rob Whiteman, CIPFA chief executive.
Councils in England face setting aside an additional £2bn to help cover business rates appeals over the next two financial years due to Covid-19, unless central government support is forthcoming.
The Scottish Government has will extend the 100% business rates holiday for the whole of the next financial year, following further UK government funding.
Treasury officials are looking into the implementation of an online sales tax and an ‘excessive profit’ levy, in response to the increase in online shopping resulting from Covid-19, according to...
This week, PF revealed that the Valuation Office Agency has halted talks over business rates rebates for offices – but the government could still face a bill of £500m to compensate councils for lost...
The Valuation Office Agency has paused talks over hundreds of millions pounds worth of potential Covid-19-related business rates rebates for offices, PF has learnt.
The government has launched a bidding process to create at least seven ‘freeports’ in England – promising host councils the ability to retain business rates growth for 25 years.
Councils face a massive rise in business rates appeals, which have reached around 1,000 a day as a result of Covid-19, according to real estate firm Colliers.
The government has an opportunity to use its proposed shake-up of business rates to incentivise energy efficiency measures in commercial property, says Kevin Muldoon-Smith.
Business rate income for local authorities halved in the first quarter, while council tax income stayed steady, according to the first official figures on the impact of Covid-19 on council income.
Local government secretary Robert Jenrick has hinted that the government could introduce council tax and business rate reimbursement schemes to help local authorities deal with the financial...
The government is asking for views on the potential of a capital values tax or online services tax to replace business rates in its comprehensive review of the tax.
