What has been announced
On 23 July 2026 the government announced that pubs, social clubs and live music venues in England will receive a 20% discount on their business rates bills, intended to take effect from the 2027-28 billing year. The government put the number of properties in scope at nearly 32,000.
The announcement also stated that the 20% discount will not be made available to the very largest live music venues. It did not define what counts as "the largest", and no rateable value threshold has been published.
This sits alongside the permanent 5 pence cut to the business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure properties announced at Budget 2025.
- What was announced
- A 20% discount on business rates bills
- Who it is intended to cover
- Pubs, social clubs and live music venues — around 32,000 properties
- Stated exclusion
- The very largest live music venues (not yet defined)
- Intended from
- 2027-28 billing year
- Where it applies
- England only
- Legal status
- Announcement of intent — not yet law; detail expected at the Budget
- Announced
- 23 July 2026
What is not yet known
Several points that determine whether an individual business benefits remain open:
- Qualifying definitions. How "pub", "social club" and "live music venue" will be defined for rating purposes has not been set out. Mixed-use premises — a restaurant with a live music licence, for example — may or may not fall within scope.
- The size exclusion. No rateable value ceiling has been published for the exclusion of the largest live music venues.
- Interaction with existing relief. Whether the discount applies before or after other reliefs, and whether it counts towards any cash cap or subsidy control limit, has not been confirmed.
- Mechanism. Whether the discount is delivered through the multiplier, through a discretionary relief scheme administered by billing authorities, or by another route.
What you can usefully do now
The discount itself requires no action, and there is nothing to apply for. What is worth doing is making sure the underlying rating position is correct, because any percentage discount is applied to a bill derived from your rateable value:
- Check that your property's entry in the rating list describes it accurately, including its use.
- Check whether you are already entitled to a relief you are not claiming — small business rate relief in particular.
- If your rateable value looks wrong, the challenge route is unaffected by this announcement and runs to its own deadlines.
England only
Business rates are devolved. This announcement applies in England only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each operate separate systems with their own reliefs, multipliers and appeal routes, and are not affected by it.