Last week Chancellor Rachel Reeves claimed to have introduced the lowest taxes since the early 1990’s in the 2025 Autumn Budget.
However, the promise to ease the burden on high-street businesses has been challenged by experts.
The new list reflects rental evidence taken from the subdued 2021 market which means many pub valuations are now rebounding sharply.
Across England and Wales, overall rateable values have risen by more than 19%. London shows some of the steepest increases and Colliers points to significant variations between neighbouring areas, with some pubs seeing modest uplifts while others face much higher assessments.
‘Inconsistencies and confusion’
Colliers says the new valuations show little consistency and is urging operators to check their figures before they become live on 1 April 2026.
Head of business rates John Webber warned that the hospitality sector is again exposed to “inconsistencies and confusion” in the rating system, with many pubs likely to face higher bills despite the Government’s recent decision to lower retail hospitality and leisure multipliers.
While pubs with rateable values below £500k will benefit from the new lower retail hospitality and leisure multiplier, many will still see total bills rise as reliefs fall away and valuations increase.
Operators losing retail hospitality and leisure relief will be covered by a new supporting small business scheme which caps annual increases at £800, although this protection is limited and will not apply to larger pub companies.
Larger pubcos
For pubs above the £500k threshold, the higher multiplier will apply, adding further pressure at a time when many sites are already handling substantial cost increases across energy, food and labour.
Colliers notes that pubs within the broader ‘other’ category have experienced some of the sharpest rises in the entire draft list.
Alongside the sector wide average of 30%, some locations are reporting much higher uplifts, with notable differences even between pubs on the same street.
Webber concluded that operators should not wait until April to challenge their valuations and advised pubs to appeal their current 2023 rating list entry before assessing the new figures.
He said the foundation of the 2023 list was shaped by Covid era valuations and that this is “at the heart of the inconsistencies” now appearing in the draft 2026 list.
