Paying for Crossrail: business rate supplement
In April 2010, the Mayor introduced a two pence (2p) business rates supplement on larger non-domestic properties in London. From 1 April 2023 until at least 31 March 2026 (including 2025-26), this will only apply to business and non-domestic premises in London with a rateable value of above £75,000. This has helped to pay for the Elizabeth Line (formerly Crossrail), a vital new east-west train link that is providing a major boost to London's economy. The line was named after the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The central section opened in May 2022 and in November 2022, direct Elizabeth line services into central London from Reading, Heathrow, Shenfield and Abbey Wood began. The final timetable across the entire railway has been in place since May 2023. To find out more about the Elizabeth line, visit the TfL Elizabeth line webpage or call the helpline on 0343 222 1234.
How Crossrail is paid for
The Greater London Authority (GLA) is currently expected to contribute a total of around £7.0 billion towards the Crossrail project using income generated from a business rates supplement (BRS) and developer contributions paid through the Mayor's Community Infrastructure Levy (MCIL). Further details on the MCIL are available at Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy. Transport for London and the Department for Transport along with a number of third parties are also making separate contributions towards the project.
Powers were granted to the GLA to introduce the BRS under the 2009 Business Rates Supplements Act.
The policies for the Crossrail BRS are set out in the final prospectus. From 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2023, the Crossrail BRS only applied to properties on the local rating list in London with a rateable value above £70,000. On 1 April 2023 this threshold was increased to £75,000 to reflect the impact of the 2023 revaluation of non domestic properties across England. As explained below, this will be increased again in April 2026 to reflect the impact of the 2026 revaluation.
Fewer than 16 per cent of London’s business and other non-domestic premises are generally liable to pay the Crossrail BRS in a typical year. Under the BRS a ratepayer for a property (or rating assessment) with a rateable value of £100,000 is liable for an annual BRS contribution of £2,000 (that is, £100,000 x the 2p in the pound BRS multiplier).
Reliefs for the BRS (such as registered charities) apply on the same basis and at the same rate as for National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR). In the 2025-26 financial year, ratepayers eligible for the Government's business rates relief scheme for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors will also be eligible for equivalent parallel relief on their BRS liabilities.
The Crossrail BRS is collected on behalf of the GLA by the 32 London boroughs and the City of London Corporation, on the same bills as general business rates (NNDR).
Enquiries relating to the payment of your bill should be referred to your billing authority. Their contact details will be set out on your rates bill.
General enquiries about the BRS can be made by email to [email protected] or by calling 020 7983 4000.
BRS Policies for 2026-27
On 1 April 2026 new rateable values will be introduced for all non domestic premises in England. You can check your new valuation and compare it with your current one on gov.uk.
In line with the requirements of the Crossrail BRS final prospectus the current £75,000 rateable value threshold above which the BRS applies will be uprated to reflect the average percentage change in rateable values in London. On this basis the new threshold is expected to be at least £85,000 – and potentially higher - from April 2026. The 2p multiplier is not expected to change and no transitional relief scheme applies for the BRS Final details on the BRS policies for 2026-27 will be confirmed by early February 2026 by the Mayor of London through a Mayoral Decision.
BRS Policies for 2025-26
The Mayor reviewed the policies for the BRS to take into account the impact of the previous national revaluation and decided to increase the qualifying rateable value threshold from 1 April 2023 to the current level of £75,000 (compared to the previous figure of £70,000) having regard to the variation powers set out in the final prospectus.
This means only assessments with a rateable value of £75,001 or higher are liable for the BRS in 2025-26 subject to any reliefs they may be entitled to including retail, hospitality and leisure sector relief this year.
Revised funding packages for Crossrail were published in December 2018 and November 2020 following the announcement of the delay in the project opening date in August 2018 under which the GLA agreed to provide a further £1.4 billion and £825 million respectively to allow the project to be completed. These additional contributions are being financed and repaid using BRS and MCIL revenues. In line with the 2010 prospectus the Crossrail BRS is due to end by no later than March 2041 and the sum expected to be collected from ratepayers is below £8.1 billion in line with the assumptions set out in the final prospectus.
The BRS multiplier will remain unchanged in 2025-26 at 2p. The policies for the BRS for 2025-26 were approved on 11 February 2025 by the Mayor in Mayoral Decision 3333.
Crossrail Business Rate Supplement documents
The final prospectus was published on 29 January 2010:
The GLA's communication to non-domestic ratepayers in respect of the Crossrail BRS for 2025-26 is available below. The 2026-27 communication will be published here once the policies for the year have been approved. In most cases this will be issued to ratepayers alongside their rates bills, or made available on the websites of their local billing authority:
The GLA published its initial proposals in July 2009. It invited comments on the proposals by 22 October 2009 and took these into account in developing the final proposals:
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