UKGBC responds to HM Treasury business rate review call for evidence

The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) has responded to a call for evidence from HM Treasury as part of its review into the business rates system.

Jenny Holland, Public Affairs & Policy Specialist at the UK Green Building Council, said:

“Improving the energy efficiency of commercial buildings has a key role to play in helping the UK meet its carbon and energy targets.  Despite this being clear, the current business rates regime disincentivises the deployment of on-site renewable energy technologies, and gives no incentive to businesses to invest in energy efficiency measures.

“We therefore welcome the business rates review and this opportunity to modify the system to ensure it helps support the Government’s objective to deliver on the UK’s legally binding target to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

“We recommend a business rate incentive linked to energy efficiency as being a powerful way to drive businesses to invest in energy efficiency improvements – particularly as business rates are currently at their highest ever level.  And we also recommend that onsite renewable energy generation and storage technologies be exempted from business rates. Through implementing the measures outlined in our response, the UK’s business rates system could help drive a strategic approach to tackling the climate crisis and enable us to meet our net zero targets.”

Read UKGBC’s full response here.

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