From 1 April 2026, the Government has introduced new retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) multipliers for business rates.
This applies to occupied and trading properties that fall within the retail, hospitality and leisure category. These include shops, restaurants, cafés, pubs, bars, hotels, leisure venues and similar businesses that provide goods or services directly to visiting members of the public.
If your property is classed as RHL, the new multiplier will automatically be applied to your business rates bill from 1 April 2026. You do not need to apply for this.
This change replaces the previous 40% retail, hospitality and leisure relief, which has now ended. Instead of receiving a percentage discount on your bill, your charge will now be calculated using the RHL multiplier set by the Government.
The amount you pay will depend on your property’s rateable value and the multiplier that applies to your property type.
If your occupied property falls under the RHL qualifications then your bill will be automatically calculated using the applicable multiplier. You do not need to do anything.
If you are unsure whether your property qualifies under the RHL category, please review the information on the GOV.UK website.