News from 18 May 2026
Ryan’s 2026 Annual Business Rates Review put UK property taxes at 3.7% of GDP, ahead of France and Canada at 3.4%, according to Property Industry Eye. The comparison covers a broad range of property taxes, rather than the tax bill of an individual landlord.
What the report says
Ryan’s review, as reported by Property Industry Eye, found that the UK sits at the top of the global ranking for property taxes as a proportion of economic output. The report also said business rates receipts across the UK are forecast to rise to £37.1bn in 2026/27, up from £33.6bn the previous year after the latest revaluation process across England, Wales and Scotland.
The figures cover a broad property-tax picture, not only private rented housing. Business rates, residential property taxes and other property-linked revenues all form part of the wider context. That distinction matters, because landlords should avoid reading a single headline as a direct instruction about rents, borrowing or portfolio strategy.
Even so, a high reliance on property taxation can shape the environment in which landlords operate. It affects commercial property, local authority funding debates, investment sentiment, housing supply arguments and the political pressure around who should bear property-related costs.
