Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are partnerships operated by local businesses which are intended to provide additional services or improvements to a specified area. A BID must be agreed by a ballot of the businesses covered by the BID area. BIDs are funded in large part by an additional levy on the non-domestic rate bills paid by the businesses. The levy is collected alongside their business rate payments.

This briefing paper sets out the working of Business Improvements Districts in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It provides details of the legal framework for BIDs, with recent statistics and developments.