New figures suggest that one in eight businesses have been taken to court over unpaid business rates, with this figure expected to skyrocket once the next revaluation comes into effect.
Rates specialist CVS has released new figures that show almost 200,000 business stood before the magistrate between 2015 and 2016, equating to nearly one in eight.
This percentage was far higher in London‘s Waltham Forest with 22 per cent of businesses facing court over unpaid taxes, just behind Middlesbrough with a quarter.
READ MORE: Chancellor Philip Hammond in “listening mode” over controversial business rates
Amid a spate of dire warnings over the business rates reforms proposed to take place in April, this will give ammunition to those opposing rates increases.
Yesterday London Mayor Sadiq Khan became the latest heavyweight to oppose the bill, joining Mary Portas, Sainsbury’s chief executive Mike Coupe, The Institute of Directors, Federation of Small Businesses, New West End Company, and the British Retail Consortium.
Chancellor Philip Hammond yesterday stated he was in “listening mode” over the increasing opposition, but refused to commit to changes at this stage.
Treasury chief secretary David Guake branded the relentless opposition “scaremongering” and has stated that three quarters of businesses will benefit from the reforms.
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