South West · 2025-26
Business Rates in South Hams
Businesses in South Hams paid £32.1m in net business rates during 2025-26, below the average English council's £93.2m.
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Relief granted in South Hams
Share of £17.7m total relief, 2025-26.
South Hams at a glance
South Hams granted £17.7m in relief overall, lower than the national council average of £26.3m. This included £8.8m in Small Business Rate Relief and £3.6m in retail, hospitality and leisure relief.
A further £2.8m went to charity relief and £1.1m to empty property relief, reflecting the mix of ratepayers across the local authority.
South Hams has an estimated 5,245 active businesses, according to the latest ONS Business Counts (2025).
South Hams ranks 199 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 Hams rose by 24.5% — if this pushed your assessment too high, an appeal may be worth considering.
Frequently asked questions
How much are business rates in South Hams?
South Hams's local authority collected £32.1m 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 Hams?
South Hams granted £17.7m in business rates relief in 2025-26, including £8.8m in Small Business Rate Relief, £3.6m in retail, hospitality and leisure relief, £2.8m in charity relief, and £1.1m 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 Hams compared with the South West and England
- Average rateable value
- £14,795£9,149 below the South West average (£23,944)£19,195 below the England average (£33,990)
- Largest sector by value
- Other commercial property, 44.5%10.5 percentage points above its 34.0% share in the South West
- Total rateable value, 2023 to 2026 list
- +19.2%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
With an average rateable value of £14,795, South Hams has the 10th lowest figure of England's 296 councils and 23rd of 27 in the South West. Other commercial property also accounts for the most properties in South Hams, at 48.9% of its rateable properties.
Shops and other retail property account for 14.4% of South Hams's rateable properties and 17.7% of its value, lower than the 20.1% and 22.7% across the South West. High-value property is limited in South Hams: around 20 properties were rated at £500,000 or more at March 2026, unchanged at around 20 on the 2026 list.
Change at the 2026 revaluation
Only 5 of the 26 other councils in the South West saw a stronger change in total rateable value at the 2026 revaluation than South Hams's +19.2%. Industrial property saw the biggest rise in South Hams: total rateable value up 24.5% between the 2023 and 2026 lists, against +18.7% for industrial property across the South West. Even the weakest sector in South Hams, office property, rose 4.9% in total rateable value at the 2026 revaluation, against +18.7% for office property across the South West.
Reliefs
Total relief granted in South Hams equalled 35.5% of gross rates payable in 2025-26, above the 21.2% across English councils taken together. Of the four main reliefs, Small Business Rate Relief accounted for the most in South Hams: 49.4% of the total, above the England figure of 28.0%.
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 Hams 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 Hams's £14,795.
- Business rates in Cornwall UA£14,496 average rateable value, £299 lower than South Hams
- Business rates in Forest of Dean£15,157 average rateable value, £362 higher than South Hams
- Business rates in West Devon£14,343 average rateable value, £452 lower than South Hams
- Business rates in North Devon£15,284 average rateable value, £489 higher than South Hams
- Business rates in Torridge£11,287 average rateable value, £3,508 lower than South Hams
- Business rates in Isles of Scilly£8,791 average rateable value, £6,004 lower than South Hams
Figures from MHCLG National Non-Domestic Rates statistics (2025-26), ONS UK Business Counts (2025), and English Indices of Deprivation (2025).
Updates for South Hams
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