100% local retention of business rates

Changes to business rates from the latest revaluations are not only making life difficult for hard-working businesses but for many, threaten their future.

At the same time government is making plans for local authorities to retain 100% of business rates income. But there are real concerns over whether government can deliver a reliable scheme on time, and how this will affect funding for cash strapped local authorities which have to balance support for local businesses with collecting the money needed to run public services.

You can read the National Audit Office’s report in full here.