Dear Sir/Madam

NON-DOMESTIC RATES PROVISIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS FOR 2013-14:

DIRECTION UNDER PARAGRAPH 43 OF SCHEDULE 7B OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE ACT 1988

We are writing to you to inform you about the National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR1) return for 2013-14.  The following information has today been emailed to the relevant officer in your local authority:

• An excel workbook containing the NNDR1 2013-14 form and the NNDR1 Supplementary form 2013-14;
• NNDR1 Guidance Notes 2013-14, including Annex B;
• NNDR1 Validation Checks 2013-14; and
• NNDR1 Supplementary Form 2013-14 Guidance Notes and validation checks.

Any queries on the emailed documents should be addressed to nndr.statistics@communities.gsi.gov.uk

NNDR1 Form

This Direction requires your authority to calculate the following amounts and to notify these amounts to the Secretary of State by Thursday 31 January 2013:

·        the authority’s estimate of the amount specified by paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the draft Non-domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013 (“the draft Regulations);

·        the amount of the central share of its non-domestic rating income for the relevant year;

·        the amount of each relevant precepting authority’s share of non-domestic rating income for the relevant year;

·        the authority’s estimate the amounts (if any) specified by paragraphs 2 and 3 of Schedule 2 to the draft Regulations;

·        the amount of each relevant precepting authority’s share of the estimate of any amount to be deducted from the central share payment in accordance with regulation 4(1) of the draft Regulations;

·        the authority’s estimate of the amount specified by regulation 7(1) (payments with respect to county matters) for the relevant year.

·        the authority’s estimates of the amount of its actual and deemed rating for the year in accordance with the draft Non-domestic Rating (Transitional Protection Payments) Regulations 2013

You are also required to supply the Secretary of State with information concerning the way in which your calculations have been made by completing the NNDR1 form that has today been e-mailed to the relevant officer in your authority.

Local authorities are required to complete the form and e-mail it to nndr.statistics@communities.gsi.gov.uk.  Authorities should produce a printed copy of the return and certify the information provided. All forms must be completed and returned to the Department for Communities and Local Government by Thursday 31 January 2013.

Validation Checks  

On receipt of your NNDR1 form, we carry out a number of checks to satisfy ourselves that the form has been completed correctly. Where the data vary significantly from that we would expect when compared with your NNDR1 for 2012-13 (or NNDR2 where appropriate), we will seek an explanation of the difference.

Details of the validation checks that are carried out can be found in the document NNDR1 Validation Checks 2013-14.

The NNDR1 form has a built-in validation sheet.  Please ensure that, on completion of the NNDR1 form, you refer to this sheet and explanations are given in the space provided of any validation checks that have been highlighted. 

NNDR1 Supplementary form

The NNDR1 Supplementary form asks for an estimate of the breakdown of the number of hereditaments being granted each individual mandatory and discretionary rate relief, and small business rate relief as at 30 September 2012, and also the amount of rate relief that is expected to be granted in 2013-14.

The supplementary form is part of an Excel workbook together with the main NNDR1 form that has been emailed to the relevant officer in your local authority, and is linked to the main NNDR1 form.

It is not necessary to return a copy of the NNDR1(Supplementary) form with the provisional NNDR1 form, a copy need only be sent with the final NNDR1 form. In addition, a separate certified copy of the supplementary form is not required.

Returning Certified NNDR1 forms

All certified returns are to be addressed for the attention of Sheela Vyas, Zone 5/J6, Department for Communities and Local Government, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU.  

The Excel version of the NNDR1 return should be sent by email to nndr.statistics@communities.gsi.gov.uk; and the signed copy of the return sent by post to Sheela Vyas at Department for Communities and Local Government, Zone 5/J6, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU. We will also accept faxed copies sent to 0303 444 3294, and scanned copies in .pdf format sent to the email account above.

Queries on the Regulations should be addressed to Mark Barnett, Department for Communities and Local Government, Zone 5/C1, Eland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5DU (email: Mark.Barnett@communities.gsi.gov.uk; telephone 0303 44 44217)

Yours faithfully

Mike Young

Steven Melbourne

Mike Young / Steven Melbourne

Data & Dissemination Team

Local Government Finance – Date Collection, Analysis