Local Authority Engagement Team

The Local Authority Engagement Team (LAE) works with Local Authorities (LAs), building partnerships which aim to support LAs in their interactions with the Valuation Office Agency and provide a consistent point of contact.  

The team support LAs through: 

• production of an LA specific newsletter 

• regular upskilling events  

• working groups  

• meetings 

• dedicated LAE Team mailbox to deal with LA high level enquiries: laengagement@voa.gov.uk  

• using insight to represent the needs of LAs 

• updating this guidance page and the LA information hub 

On this page, the LAE Team provide a curated reference guide of information to support LAs in their council tax, business rate and VOA activity.

Council Tax

Description: In this section you will find guidance and links that will be helpful for LAs when it comes to understanding council tax. This includes links to our council tax manual and other sources that explain how the VOA bands domestic property for council tax.  

Council Tax Manual 

Council Tax practice notes 

The VOA’s technical manual for assessing domestic property for Council Tax.

How domestic properties are assessed for Council Tax 

Find out how domestic properties are valued for Council Tax bands.

Check your Council Tax band 

Use this service to find the Council Tax band for a home in England or Wales by looking up its address or postcode.

Estimate of Council Tax Band 

We do not provide estimates for Council Tax.

NDR

Description: In this section you will find guidance and links that will be helpful for LAs when it comes to understanding business (non-domestic) property. This includes links to our rating manual and other sources that explain how the VOA rates non-domestic property. 

Rating Manual 

The VOA’s technical manual for the rating of business (non-domestic) property.

Find and check your business rates valuation 

Use this service to find the ‘rateable value’ of a property in England or Wales.

How non-domestic (business) properties are valued 

Find out how the VOA calculates a rateable value for business rates.

Renewable energy certificates (PDF) 

Further information on Renewable Energy Certificates is available in our Rating Manual. 

Transitional Relief 

Further information about Transitional Relief is available in our Rating Manual.

Improvement Relief

Information about Improvement relief is available in our Rating Manual.

Partly occupied hereditaments 

Information about apportionment of rateable value for a partly occupied hereditament (Section 44a) is available in our Rating Manual.

Check, Challenge Appeal (CCA)

CCA England

In 2017 new regulations were introduced for England only regarding the procedure for challenging the assessments of properties for all rating lists compiled on or after 1 April 2017. The new system in England is referred to as Check Challenge Appeal.

CCA Wales

In 2023 new regulations were introduced for Wales regarding the procedure for challenging the assessments of properties for all rating lists compiled on or after 1 April 2023. The new system in Wales is referred to as Check Challenge Appeal or ‘Gwirio, Herio, Apelio’  in Welsh.

For rating lists compiled before 1 April 2023 in Wales the previous procedures still apply.

Group Pre Challenge Reviews (GPCR) 

Information on group pre-challenge reviews, including what they are and when they can be requested.

NDR scat codes (PDF, 295 KB, 13 pages)

These codes identify the type of property, their use and how the rateable value (RV) has been worked out.

Estimates of rateable value 

Requests for estimates may be requested by LAs (only) to assist with forecasting future revenue. 

These should be submitted by a Billing Authority Report (BAR). 

We will provide as accurate an estimate as possible to assist with forecasting future revenue – this information is not for onward sharing. 

Please do not request an estimate where you already have an outstanding BAR.

Further information on estimated assessments is available in our Rating Manual.

Work processes

Description: In this section you will find guidance and links that will support LAs with submitting council tax and business rate reports. You will also find information about our various LA-specific services, for example the Local Authority Gateway.  

Billing Authority Submission Standards

The guide sets out the information Billing Authorities (BAs) need to submit with a report to the VOA. 

The submissions standards are to enable the VOA and BAs to work more effectively together in maintaining the local taxation lists.

Local Authority Information Gateway

The LA Information Gateway allows the VOA to share certain non-domestic rating information with LAs for a qualifying purpose to a qualifying person. It is for use by BAs only, and other requests will be declined.

Before submitting a request, BAs should read the guidance and check they have an Information Sharing Protocol and Information Sharing Agreement in place.

LA Information Gateway Guidance

This guidance provides additional support for LAs who are using the Local Authority Information Gateway.

Information Sharing Agreement and Protocol templates 

These information sharing templates are for use by BAs in England and Wales. LAs must have signed and returned these documents to the VOA before we can consider any requests.

Submitting a Gateway request 

This page allows BAs to submit requests to the Local Authority Information Gateway. It should not be used for other information requests.

District Valuer Services 

DVS is the specialist property arm of the VOA. Find out more about our District Valuer Services available to LAs by visiting the DVS homepage. 

Schedule codes 

Schedule codes tell LAs what type of change has been made to a list.  

Customer guidance

Description: In this section you will find guidance and links that may be useful for LAs when supporting their customers with council tax and business rates.  

Home-based businesses 

Some properties are part business and part domestic, so may pay both council tax and business rates.

How we value non-domestic properties with more than one occupier 

Where two properties are occupied by the same person or company and are contiguous, provided they are not used for entirely different purposes, we will value them as a single assessment.

Holiday cottages and self-contained units 

Whether customers will be liable for business rates will depend on how many nights a property is available to let each year and how many nights it was actually let. The VOA will work out the rateable value based on the property’s type, size, location, quality and how much income is likely to be made from letting it. If the property does not meet this criteria it will be placed or remain in the council tax list.

Damage to businesses and properties caused by flooding 

This is advice for customers whose homes or businesses are affected by flooding.

Appointing a trusted helper to deal with the VOA on your behalf 

For customers who are unable to use the digital service. Advice on appointing a ‘trusted helper’; to enable customers to use the VOA check and challenge digital service.

Guest houses and bed and breakfast 

A basic guide to the rating of guest houses and bed & breakfast accommodation.

Valuation of public houses 

Guidance on the valuation approach the VOA takes for public houses.

Properties in disrepair or derelict 

The conditions under which the VOA will delete the band on a property, removing the requirement to pay Council Tax.

You can access our blogs and news updates on the VOA news page.

Working with us

Description: In this section you will find information about how LAs can work more closely with the LAE team.  

The LAE Team have the following tools and routes to working together in place to support LAs: 

The LA Partnership Charter 

Developed collaboratively with LAs the partnership charter sets out how we can work together for our shared customers - Working together to support our shared customers - English and Welsh 

LA Toolkits 

The LA toolkits are curated collections of information and content to help LAs with specific topics. Please contact the LAE Team if you would like copies of these LAEngagement@voa.gov.uk

Requesting meetings  

If you are a LA and would like to arrange a meeting with us, please contact us by email at LAEngagement@voa.gov.uk  

We are happy to meet online and will consider in person meetings or events. We are also able give presentations or workshops about the team, working in partnership or the VOA. 

LA queries  

There are two routes for your queries as an LA.  

If you have a generalised question about reports or the technology relating to them, for example, schedules, VOA IT issues and ‘no actioned’ reports, you can contact the Billing Authority Enquiries (BAE) team at BAE Email xxx 

You can contact the LAE team if your enquiry is outside of the BAE support scope, including topics such as: 

• about any other VOA topic 

•  working with the LAE team 

• coming from senior LA stakeholders 

• referencing any related professional body e.g. IRRV 

• an LA complaint 

• responding to LAE messaging or newsletters 

• concerning disclosure

Contact us

You can contact us by email at laengagement@ons.gov.uk

Other useful links

About us 

Statistics 

Transparency and freedom of information releases 

Policy papers and consultations