Licensed Premises: Business Rates
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 22 April 2026 to Question 116755 on Licensing Premises: Business Rates, whether local billing authorities in London are required to apply the 15 per cent pub and live music relief to the GLA Business Rate Supplement in the 2026-27 financial year; and whether the 15 per cent relief is a (a) mandatory and (b) discretional reduction on a discretionary relief.
Answered by Alison McGovern
Where business rate reliefs are implemented under section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, such as the Pubs and Live Music Venues Relief Scheme, Business Rate Supplements are adjusted to reflect the percentage relief provided by those schemes in line with the requirements of section 13(7) of the Business Rate Supplements Act 2009. This is a mandatory requirement under the Act.
It is for the 33 London billing authorities and the Greater London Authority to ensure that the required determinations and resulting adjustments are made to ratepayer bills in respect of Business Rates Supplements liabilities.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →