Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will defer the payment of (a) business rates and (b) VAT for businesses which can demonstrate loss of trade as a result of covid-19.

In response to COVID-19, on 17 March the Government introduced a 12 month business rates holiday for all eligible retail, leisure and hospitality businesses in England, where help is needed the most. Eligible businesses large and small will benefit from this exceptional step worth an additional £9.5bn in 2020-21.

HMRC already offer help to businesses struggling to meet their VAT payments with arrangements such as Time to Pay.

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Chancellor has pledged a range of measures to help business through the crisis, including grants, loans and relief from business rates worth more than £300 billion. The Chancellor will continue to keep the situation under review.