The Valuation Office Agency is on track to clear 100% of the business rates appeals backlog relating to the 2010 valuation list this year, MPs were told this week.
Speaking to the House of Commons treasury select committee this week, local government minister Rishi Sunak said around 70,000 appeals for which the VOA has responsibility remain outstanding.
However, there are a further 50,000 are cases which are progressing through the courts, he said.
Melissa Tatton, chief executive officer at the VOA told the committee: “We have cleared 98% of those that are in our control and we are on track to meet our commitment of clearing those by September this year.”
When challenged about the £2.6bn councils are keeping in reserve to deal with adverse rates appeal decisions, Sunak said: “If you put that in the context of the amount of business rates income every year – that relates to about £100bn of income. As a percentage it’s small.”
