Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill Report Stage: Third Reading
341Ayes
171Noes
Carried · majority 170 · Government won133 did not vote
645 Members · Aye 341 · No 171 · DNV 133 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
Parliament passed the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill at its Third Reading on 15 January 2025, by 341 votes to 171. The bill introduces lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with rateable values below £500,000, funded by higher rates on properties worth £500,000 or more, and removes charitable rate relief from most private schools in England from April 2025. The vote confirmed the bill's passage to the next legislative stage. The bill makes two substantive changes to the business rates system in England. From April 2026, the Treasury will have powers to set lower multipliers (the figure used to calculate a rates bill) for qualifying high street and hospitality properties, funded by higher multipliers on large commercial hereditaments. From April 2025, private schools in England that hold charitable status lose their entitlement to 80 per cent relief on occupied premises and 100 per cent on unoccupied ones, with an exemption for schools that predominantly serve pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans. Both changes affect businesses, local authorities and independent schools across England. The vote divided almost entirely along party lines. All 300 Labour MPs and 35 Labour and Co-operative MPs voted in favour, as did three Greens and a small number of independents. All 98 Conservatives, 63 Liberal Democrats and 5 Reform UK MPs voted against, along with one Democratic Unionist Party MP and several independents. No Labour or Labour Co-operative MP voted no, and no Conservative or Liberal Democrat voted aye.
Voting Aye meant
Support passing the bill into law, backing lower business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, higher rates for large commercial properties, and the removal of charitable rate relief from private schools.
Voting No meant
Oppose the bill as passed, arguing it lacks adequate impact assessments, risks unintended consequences for small businesses, and does not go far enough in reforming a fundamentally broken business rates system.
Each row is one party. The stacked bar gives the within-party split of Aye / No / Absent; the columns on the right give the raw counts. The whip column shows the published party position — “Free vote” means the whip was formally removed for this division.
Party
Whip
Aye / No / Abs
Aye
No
Abs
Labour Party
Whipped Aye
300
0
61
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped No
0
98
18
Liberal Democrats
Whipped No
0
62
9
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped Aye
35
0
7
Independent
—
3
7
4
Scottish National Party
—
0
0
9
Reform UK
Whipped No
0
5
2
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
—
0
1
4
Green Party of England and Wales
Whipped Aye
3
0
1
Plaid Cymru
—
0
0
4
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
1
0
1
Your Party
—
1
0
1
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
0
0
1
Restore Britain
—
0
0
1
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
0
0
1
Ulster Unionist Party
—
0
0
1
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
Supports permanent business rates reduction for retail/hospitality/leisure but demands impact assessments and broader reform including manufacturing; opposes VAT on private schools.Liberal Democrat · Voted no · Read full speech (2,142 words) →
Warns of unintended consequences: small businesses could be 80% worse off while big chains like Starbucks gain 40% under the scheme; calls for differential impact assessment.Liberal Democrat · Voted no · Read full speech (649 words) →
Supports Bill as common-sense rebalancing favouring local independents over online giants; cites expert evidence that Bill benefits 98% of retail stores and has marginal impact on private schools.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (798 words) →
Opposes removal of private school charitable relief and business rate rises; cites closure of Carrdus school (120 pupils); seeks amendment to delay implementation and protect SEND schools.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (993 words) →
Criticises Bill as smoke-and-mirrors: cuts to relief offset by higher multipliers; raises will hit major employers (supermarkets, hotels, NHS); revaluation will compound increases; seeks review via New Clause 2.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (2,052 words) →
Defends Bill as essential to support high streets and fund state education; rejects amendments as diluting support; private schools are businesses and should pay rates like any other.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (2,083 words) →
Argues Bill harms SMEs, data centres, breweries, zoos, and stadiums; contradicts Labour's pre-election promise to abolish business rates; removal of private school relief harms state schools via lost facility-sharing.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (2,532 words) →
Backs Bill as fair and necessary; private schools are businesses and should contribute; focuses on high street support and equity in education funding for state sector.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,028 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0