South West · 2025-26
Business Rates in South Gloucestershire UA
Businesses in South Gloucestershire UA paid £142.3m in net business rates during 2025-26, above the average English council's £93.2m.
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Relief granted in South Gloucestershire UA
Share of £35.5m total relief, 2025-26.
South Gloucestershire UA at a glance
South Gloucestershire UA granted £35.5m in relief overall, higher than the national council average of £26.3m. This included £7.7m in Small Business Rate Relief and £3.9m in retail, hospitality and leisure relief.
A further £12.4m went to charity relief and £8.6m to empty property relief, reflecting the mix of ratepayers across the local authority.
South Gloucestershire UA has an estimated 10,285 active businesses, according to the latest ONS Business Counts (2025).
South Gloucestershire UA ranks 254 out of 296 local authorities in England on the 2025 Index of Multiple Deprivation, where 1 is most deprived and 296 is least deprived.
Following the 2026 revaluation, the total rateable value of industrial property in South Gloucestershire UA rose by 13.7% — if this pushed your assessment too high, an appeal may be worth considering.
Frequently asked questions
How much are business rates in South Gloucestershire UA?
South Gloucestershire UA's local authority collected £142.3m in net business rates income during 2025-26, based on the national multiplier applied to each property's rateable value, less any relief granted.
What reliefs are available in South Gloucestershire UA?
South Gloucestershire UA granted £35.5m in business rates relief in 2025-26, including £7.7m in Small Business Rate Relief, £3.9m in retail, hospitality and leisure relief, £12.4m in charity relief, and £8.6m in empty property relief.
How do I know if I'm overpaying?
If your rateable value looks high compared to similar properties nearby, or you're not currently receiving relief you may be entitled to, it's worth checking your assessment. Use our free checker to compare your rateable value and see if you may be eligible for a reduction or backdated refund.
South Gloucestershire UA compared with the South West and England
- Average rateable value
- £50,084£26,140 above the South West average (£23,944)£16,094 above the England average (£33,990)
- Largest sector by value
- Industrial property, 43.4%12.6 percentage points above its 30.8% share in the South West
- Total rateable value, 2023 to 2026 list
- +13.2%South West: +17.7%England: +19.6%
Counts and rateable values are from the stock of properties at March 2026, on the 2023 rating list. Changes are from the 2026 revaluation, comparing the 2023 rating list with the 2026 rating list.
Property mix
South Gloucestershire UA comes 35th of 296 English councils on average rateable value (£50,084) and the highest in the South West. Industrial property also accounts for the most properties in South Gloucestershire UA, at 32.0% of its rateable properties.
In South Gloucestershire UA, retail is 19.5% of rateable properties and 19.1% of rateable value; across the South West the figures are 20.1% and 22.7%. 120 rateable properties in South Gloucestershire UA were rated at £500,000 or more at March 2026, which is 0.7% of the national total, and 140 on the 2026 list.
Change at the 2026 revaluation
Only 1 of the 26 other councils in the South West saw a weaker change in total rateable value at the 2026 revaluation than South Gloucestershire UA's +13.2%. Other commercial property saw the biggest rise in South Gloucestershire UA: total rateable value up 22.7% between the 2023 and 2026 lists, in line with the +23.0% across the South West. Even the weakest sector in South Gloucestershire UA, retail property, rose 3.6% in total rateable value at the 2026 revaluation, against +7.7% for retail property across the South West.
Reliefs
Total relief granted in South Gloucestershire UA equalled 16.6% of gross rates payable in 2025-26, below the 21.2% across English councils taken together. Of the four main reliefs, charity relief accounted for the most in South Gloucestershire UA: 34.9% of the total, above the England figure of 29.7%.
Source: HM Revenue & Customs, using Valuation Office Agency data, and MHCLG relief returns. Open Government Licence v3.0. Method and rounding: /methodology.
See how South Gloucestershire UA compares with the rest of the region: Business rates in South West, State of Business Rates in England 2026 →
Nearby areas
Compare with other councils in the South West
Other South West councils with their average rateable value, listed from the closest to South Gloucestershire UA's £50,084.
- Business rates in Swindon UA£49,560 average rateable value, £524 lower than South Gloucestershire UA
- Business rates in Exeter£38,259 average rateable value, £11,825 lower than South Gloucestershire UA
- Business rates in Cheltenham£36,766 average rateable value, £13,318 lower than South Gloucestershire UA
- Business rates in Bristol UA£36,157 average rateable value, £13,927 lower than South Gloucestershire UA
- Business rates in Tewkesbury£34,265 average rateable value, £15,819 lower than South Gloucestershire UA
- Business rates in Gloucester£34,033 average rateable value, £16,051 lower than South Gloucestershire UA
Figures from MHCLG National Non-Domestic Rates statistics (2025-26), ONS UK Business Counts (2025), and English Indices of Deprivation (2025).
Updates for South Gloucestershire
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