Sector guide · England and Wales · 2026/27

Business rates for pubs (2026/27)

Pubs pay business rates using the lower hospitality multipliers in England for 2026/27 (38.2p under £51,000, 43p from £51,000). Pubs may also get pubs and live music venues relief. Pubs are valued on what they could be expected to trade, not floor area, so our free comparison can’t check a pub’s value.

Which multiplier applies

GOV.UK lists pubs among the businesses that can use the lower retail, hospitality and leisure multipliers (38.2p under £51,000, 43p from £51,000 to £499,999). Your council confirms eligibility.

Rateable value (England, 2026/27)	Standard	Retail, hospitality and leisure
Under £51,000	43.2p	38.2p
£51,000 to £499,999	48p	43p
£500,000 or more	50.8p	50.8p

How pubs are valued

The Valuation Office values pubs by reference to fair maintainable trade, not price per m². That needs trading evidence and specialist judgement. If you think your pub is overvalued, speak to a RICS-regulated rating surveyor; see GOV.UK: pubs and licensed trade.

Reliefs to ask about

Small business rate relief: nothing to pay in England if it’s your business’s only property and the rateable value is £12,000 or less; tapering to £15,000.
Supporting small business relief if you lost relief at the 2026 revaluation, and transitional relief if your bill is rising because of it.
Ask your council about pubs and live music venues relief and supporting small business relief.
Our free relief check still works for pubs: it looks at the multiplier and reliefs on your bill.

Our free comparison doesn’t cover pubs, because they aren’t valued on floor area. You can still estimate the bill with the calculator.

Estimate your bill with the 2026/27 business rates calculator, or read how to challenge a valuation.

Questions

Can Rightly Rated check my pub’s rateable value?

No. Pubs are valued on trade, not floor area, so a price-per-m² comparison would mislead. We show no estimate for pubs. A RICS-regulated surveyor is the right route. Our free relief check can still look at your multiplier and reliefs.

Business rates for pubs by council area

Typical 2026 values for pubs in each council area with at least 20 of them.

Sources

Checked against GOV.UK and Business Wales on 13 October 2026. Rules change; if anything differs, GOV.UK and your council are right. Rightly Rated is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Valuation Office, HMRC or any council.

Rightly Rated is a self-serve evidence tool, not a rating surveyor or adviser. Figures come from the Valuation Office’s published 2026 rating list and from what you tell us. We do not act for you with the Valuation Office, and a challenge can lower, keep or raise a rateable value.