VOA NextGen Rating Programme

Rating: Since the creation of the NextGen Rating Programme in October 2024, Programme teams are well established with strong governance and oversight, supported by robust supplier and financial management. This mature position has been reinforced by NISTA, who awarded the programme a Green rating in a Gate 0/3 review in January 2026. During FY25/26 the Programme delivered the first major milestones, with Disclosure and changes to support Improvement Relief for Revaluation 2026 going live in November 2025. The design and build of the core online service has been completed, with progression into Private Beta held while rollout plans are reviewed. Progress for the internal Valuation Operating System (VOS) for Non-Domestic Rating is well advanced. Release 1 (Pre-Valuation) remains on track for July 2026, followed by Release 2 (Valuation) by November 2026. Focus remains on managing testing, defect resolution and data migration, alongside supporting business readiness for upcoming changes. The Amber delivery confidence assessment reflects the need to deliver VOS Releases 1 and 2 to tight timelines, alongside some remaining uncertainty on scope, sequencing and costs for later releases. Work is underway to finalise delivery plans and commercial arrangements for these later releases, supporting improved certainty and a return to Green.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the project's end-date at 25/26-Q4 remained the same, 01/04/2030.

Cost: Compared to financial year 24/25-Q4, the projects departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 25/26-Q4 (measured in £m) remained at £328.5m.

Source: NISTA Major Projects Annual Report 2025-26 (data)

Rating: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 remained at AMBER. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ FY23/24 Q4 data referred to the Non-Domestic Rating Reform (NDRR) Programme. During FY24/25, NDRR merged with the Non-Domestic Rating elements of the Business Systems Transformation (BST) Programme to form the single NextGen Rating (NGR) Programme. The VOA ExCom agreed to progress the merger of the two programmes to form NGR, following a NISTA review of BST in February 2024. NGR was formally launched as a single new programme on 1 October 2024. This merger has the benefit of ensuring the end-to-end delivery of all the VOA’s Non-Domestic Rating reforms are being managed in one place, strengthening governance and oversight, programme controls and the management of cross-dependencies. Due to this change in scope, it is important to note that the Delivery Confidence Assessment from FY2023/24 (NDRR Programme) should not be compared with the Delivery Confidence Assessment from FY2024/25 (the combined single GMPP NextGen Rating Programme).

Schedule: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's end-date at 24/25-Q4 increased from 31/03/2029 to 01/04/2030. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ FY23/24 Q4 data referred to the Non-Domestic Rating Reform (NDRR) Programme. During FY24/25, NDRR merged with the Non-Domestic Rating elements of the Business Systems Transformation (BST) Programme to form the NextGen Rating (NGR) Programme. NGR formally launched as a new programme on 1 October 2024. The programme end date has been refreshed in line with the new NGR Programme Business Case and baseline plan (approved by NISTA - Nov’24, HMT - Dec’24 & HMRC CIDC - Mar’25). The new baseline plan ensures the programme has sufficient contingency in place for early life support following the mandating of Information Duty in 2029.

Cost: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 24/25-Q4 (measured in £m) increased from 286 to 328. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ FY23/24 Q4 data referred to the Non-Domestic Rating Reform (NDRR) Programme. During FY24/25, NDRR merged with the Non-Domestic Rating elements of the Business Systems Transformation (BST) Programme to form the NextGen Rating (NGR) Programme. NGR formally launched as a new programme on 1 October 2024. Programme Whole Life Costs (WLC) have been refreshed in line with the new NGR Programme Business Case which was approved by HMT in December 2024. The WLC therefore cannot be compared across FY2023/24 (NDR-R WLC) and FY2024/25 (NGR WLC).

Source: NISTA Annual Report 2024-25 (data)

Rating: The Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 is Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. The overall Delivery Confidence Assessment for the NDR Reforms Programme is Amber. Work is ongoing to address risks in relation to long-term funding certainty, programme capability and capacity, and dependence on technology change in other programmes.

Schedule: The project's end-date at 23/24-Q4 is 2029-03-31. This is primarily due to the following factors. The Programme has developed its plan based on the preferred option in the business case. The schedule remains on track. Dates for the introduction of new customer requirements and the disclosure of additional information on valuations will be confirmed in due course.

Cost: Compared to financial year 22/23-Q4, the project's departmental-agree Whole Life Cost at 23/24-Q4 increased from 110m. to 286m. This is primarily due to the following factors. Whole life costs have been reviewed and revised at Outline Business Case (OBC) stage.

Source: IPA Annual Report 2023-24 (data)