The average business rates bill (in £s) in both England and in each Government Office region in each year since 1996-97, including the estimated average figures for 2006-07, are shown in the following table.
North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England London South East South West England 1996-97 5,335 4,895 5,235 5,454 5,335 6,873 11,921 7,432 4,881 6,804 1997-98 5,501 5,215 5,381 5,716 5,686 7,026 10,057 7,208 7,087 6,796 1998-99 5,978 5,589 5,869 6,142 6,250 7,125 10,433 7,759 5,295 7,016 1999-2000 6,159 5,770 6,005 6,251 6,487 7,080 9,792 7,796 5,412 6,998 2000-01 6,968 6,825 6,954 7,237 7,588 8,096 12,033 9,212 6,332 8,264 2001-02 7,305 7,273 7,433 7,670 7,756 8,476 12,842 9,705 6,570 8,714 2002-03 7,498 7,646 7,664 7,846 8,003 8,685 13,753 10,045 6,658 9,071 2003-04 7,518 7,708 7,623 7,893 8,055 8,620 14,124 10,053 6,614 9,137 2004-05 7,701 7,793 7,773 7,955 8,192 8,740 14,484 10,252 6,662 9,301 2005-06 8,367 8,086 8,317 8,477 8,672 9,575 15,705 11,124 7,195 9,997 2006-07 8,892 8,789 8,731 9,221 9,041 10,085 16,561 11,804 7,624 10,601
The data are taken from NNDR returns submitted by billing authorities. Average business rate is calculated by dividing the net rate yield from local authority’s lists by the number of hereditaments on local list as at 31 December of the previous year.
Comparisons across regions and years may not be valid as the rateable values for individual properties, and hence actual rates bills, vary greatly. Changes in the figures for the years around 2000-01 are affected by transfers of properties from the central list to local lists, transfers of Crown properties to local lists and the adjustments made to the multiplier at the time of the 2000 revaluation to take account of losses from appeals. Changes in the figures for the years around 2005-06 are also affected by adjustments made to the multiplier at the time of the 2005 revaluation.