Nearly two thirds of councils expect to gain extra revenue from the first year of the move to localised business rates, figures collated by the DCLG have indicated.

Local authorities in England are forecast to collect an estimated £21.6bn in non-domestic rates in 2013/14, of which half, some £10.8bn would be returned as the central government's share, statistics released yesterday reveal.

Just under £2bn would be passed to county councils or the Greater London Authority and around £8.8bn would be kept by collecting authorities, according to the breakdown of allocations.

A DCLG spokesman explained around two thirds of councils would be better off in the first year of the new arrangements, benefiting from the £130m in extra revenue generated to deliver local priorities, support services and promote growth.

Additionally, all 90 councils which are involved in the 13 pooled business rates arrangements would gain from a collective £40m in additional cash revenue.  ‘This is nearly £17 million more than they would have had if they hadn't pooled – showing the value of authorities working together to support and harness growth,' the spokesman added.