Booze responsibility freeze prolonged however worth of a pint may nonetheless rise in British pubs
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt introduced the freeze on alcohol duties will probably be prolonged because the Government is “backing the Great British pub“.
While setting out the finances within the Commons this afternoon (Wednesday, March 6), Hunt stated: “In the autumn statement I froze alcohol duty until August of this year. Without any action today, it would have been due to rise by 3%.”
The Chancellor defined he had listened to representations from MPs concerning the booze tax, including: “So right this moment I’ve determined to increase the alcohol responsibility freeze till February 2025.
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“This benefits 38,000 pubs all across the UK – and on top of the £13,000 saving a typical pub will get from the 75% business rates discount I announced in the autumn. We value our hospitality industry and we are backing the Great British pub.”
However, the transfer does not imply the worth of a pint will not maintain rising.
Emma McClarkin, chief govt of the British Beer and Pub Association, welcomed the freeze following the Autumn Statement final yr. But she warned will increase to the National Living Wage would add enormous prices to pubs “at a time when we are struggling to not pass on costs to the consumer”.
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She stated: “The pub needs to remain affordable for all and we remain open to working with the government to ensure our pubs and brewers have the support they need to keep investing in people and places and providing much needed boost to local economies.”
And Cayley Evans, landlady on the Bakers Arms in Danbury, instructed GB News: “To be honest, freezing duties won’t save any money at all. The only thing that will help us at all is a VAT reduction. Freezing duties will save pennies. It goes through so many hands before it gets to us. I know that sounds pessimistic but that’s the reality of it.”
The Chancellor additionally confirmed the introduction of an excise responsibility on vapes from October 2026 in addition to a one-off improve in tobacco responsibility on the identical time.
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