Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to business rates liability from 1 April 2026 on participation in grassroots sport in England; and whether she has made representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on that issue.

DCMS engaged extensively with HM Treasury in the run up to the Autumn Budget 2025 and provided evidence to HM Treasury on the anticipated impact to the sport and leisure sector.

The Government has announced a support package worth £4.3 billion to protect against ratepayers seeing large overnight increases in their business rates bills because of the revaluation.

In addition, the Government is introducing new permanently lower multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties, which are worth nearly £1 billion per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties.

As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down, next year. This also means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.