Introduction to business rates budgeting, budget monitoring and reporting (England)

Event summary

This course is an introduction to setting a business rates budget, business rates monitoring and the impact on the general fund. It explores the factors that complicate forecasting and explaining business rates budget variances for many local authorities and how these can be overcome. The event will also discuss the local government finance settlement, focusing on the upcoming changes to the business rates system for 2026-27, along with the challenges and potential solutions that are available.

This webinar takes place over two half days:

04.11.25, 10:00 - 13:00

05.11.25, 10:00 - 13:00

Date

Starts:
04 Nov 2025 10:00
Ends:
05 Nov 2025 13:00

Location

online

Standard price

£375.00 excl VAT

Network Member Price

£315.00 excl VAT

Book now

About this event

Who should attend?

The programme is aimed primarily at local authority accountants wanting to develop confidence in business rates accounting, budgeting, and budget monitoring to support local financial forecasting and reporting.

How will you benefit from attending?

The training will provide attendees with an:

Understanding of Business rate (Non-domestic Rating) budgeting and what drives the budget and out-turn general fund position.
Awareness of the interaction of statutory estimates and actuals, statutory reversals, s.31 grant funding and safety net and levies on the General fund.
An appreciation of what elements of the outturn are available at year end, and which are due to be recognised, and available, in following financial periods.
Understanding of the anticipated changes in the 2026/27 Local Government Finance settlement and how these, along with adjustments to Business Rates multipliers, will affect budgeting and budget monitoring processes.

CPD hours

This carries six CPD hours.

Topics

Accounting
/ Business rates
/ Financial reporting
/ Local government
/ Professional development

Speaker - Mark Catlow

Mark joined CIPFA in 2022 after working for seven years in local government. Prior to this he worked for both Ernst & Young and the Audit Commission. He is a member of CIPFA and has extensive experience of the collection fund, treasury and statutory financial reporting.