Meaning & use
business rates
Last updated
Meaning
nounpluralBritishbusiness
A tax paid to local government by the owners or occupiers of shops, offices and other non-residential buildings in Britain.
Grammar: Always plural, and takes a plural verb: business rates are rising.
Patterns
- pay business rates on something
- business rates for something
The cafe owner complained that business rates were too high.
The council sent a bill for business rates on the empty shop.
Small firms can get relief from business rates.
Common combinations
- pay business rates
- All shops must pay business rates.
- business rates bill
- Her business rates bill doubled this year.
- business rates relief
- The charity qualified for business rates relief.
- cut business rates
- The government promised to cut business rates.
- increase in business rates
- An increase in business rates hit local pubs.
Synonyms and how they differ
- commercial property tax
- Commercial property tax is the closer American term, while business rates is specifically British.
- council tax
- Council tax is paid on homes by residents, whereas business rates are paid on commercial buildings.
- local taxes
- Local taxes is a very general phrase and does not point to commercial property.
- rates
- Rates alone is the older British word for this tax and for the former tax on homes.
Word family
Commonly confused: business rates or council tax?
business rates vs council tax
Council tax is the British local tax on homes, while business rates is the one on commercial premises.
Practice
The owner of the shop must pay ___ to the local council every year.
Choose one answer.
Business rates are charged on commercial buildings such as shops. Council tax is for homes, and the others are different taxes.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “business rates”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.