The Non-Domestic Rating (Multiplier) (Wales) Regulations 2025

Made: 19 February 2025

Coming into force: 21 February 2025

In accordance with paragraph 5(13C) of Schedule 7 to that Act, a draft of this instrument has been laid before, and approved by resolution of, Senedd Cymru[^f00002].

Title, coming into force and interpretation

1

• (1) The title of these Regulations is the Non-Domestic Rating (Multiplier) (Wales) Regulations 2025.

• (2) These Regulations come into force on 21 February 2025.

• (3) In these Regulations, “the 1988 Act” means the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

Change to the non-domestic rating multiplier for the financial year beginning with 1 April 2025

2

For the financial year beginning with 1 April 2025—

• (a) paragraph 5(5A) of Schedule 7 to the 1988 Act does not apply;

• (b) for the purpose of paragraph 3B of Schedule 7 to the 1988 Act, B is specified as 133.3.

Signed

Mark Drakeford — Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language, one of the Welsh Ministers — 19 February 2025

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In relation to Wales, the non-domestic rating multiplier is calculated in accordance with the formula in paragraph 3B of Schedule 7 to the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (“the 1988 Act”) for each financial year when rating lists are not being compiled. New rating lists are not being compiled for the financial year beginning with 1 April 2025 (“the year concerned”).

The formula in paragraph 3B of Schedule 7 to the 1988 Act includes items B and C. Item B is the consumer prices index for September of the financial year preceding the year concerned, and item C is the consumer prices index for September of the financial year which precedes that preceding the year concerned. Paragraph 5(13A) of Schedule 7 to the 1988 Act enables the Welsh Ministers to make regulations to amend, repeal or disapply certain sub-paragraphs in Schedule 7 to the 1988 Act, so as to substitute references to the consumer prices index to another index, or to specify or describe a figure for item B and/or C.

These Regulations apply to the financial year beginning with 1 April 2025, and disapply paragraph 5(5A) of Schedule 7 to the 1988 Act. These Regulations also specify that the figure for item B is 133.3. This has the effect of increasing the non-domestic rating multiplier by 1% from that calculated for the previous financial year. Without these Regulations, the default increase would be 1.7% in line with the change in the consumer prices index.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, a regulatory impact assessment has been prepared as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations. A copy can be obtained from the Local Government Finance Reform Division, Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1988 c. 41. Paragraph 5(13A) of Schedule 7 was inserted by section 154(2)(f) of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (asc 1) and subsequently amended by paragraph 64(14) of the Schedule to the Non-Domestic Rating Act 2023 (c. 53) (“the 2023 Act”). Paragraph 5(13A) will be repealed by paragraph 9(5) of the Schedule to the Local Government Finance (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 6) (“the 2024 Act”) and re-enacted in Part A2 of Schedule 7 to the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (“the 1988 Act”) by section 10 of the 2024 Act, on 1 April 2025 (see section 23(3)(a) of the 2024 Act).

[^f00002]: Paragraph 5(13C) of Schedule 7 was substituted by section 15(3)(d) of the 2023 Act. This paragraph will be repealed by paragraph 9(5) of the Schedule to the 2024 Act and re-enacted in section 143A(5)(m) of the 1988 Act by section 14 of the 2024 Act, which will take effect on 1 April 2025 when Part A2 of Schedule 7 to the 1988 Act will come into force (see section 23(2)(g) and (3)(a) of the 2024 Act).