Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to reduce business rates on (a) butchers, (b) bakers and (c) bookshops.

The Government has introduced new permanent lower multipliers for eligible Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) properties. These provide nearly £1 billion per year of support to the RHL sector and benefit over 750,000 properties, replacing temporary reliefs that were in place during and after the pandemic and providing businesses with greater certainty and stability.

Full details of eligibility for the new multipliers are set out in the relevant statutory instrument (SI), which can be found online here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/1093/contents/made with guidance to support in interpreting the SI found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/business-rates-multipliers-qualifying-retail-hospitality-or-leisure. The Government expects the vast majority of eligible retail properties to benefit from the new RHL multipliers.

The Chancellor announces decisions on tax policy at fiscal events. Any future changes to business rates, including for specific sectors or property types, would be considered as part of that process.