Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to (a) business rates, (b) alcohol duty and (c) employment costs on pubs since 2025.

To support pubs and hospitality venues, the Government has extended opening hours in England and Wales for Home Nations Men’s World Cup games and are supporting “pavement pints” by cutting red tape so venues can serve outdoors.

The Government has also doubled the Hospitality Support Fund to £10 million to help rural pubs diversify and remain community hubs. In addition, we have ended upward-only rent review clauses, and new Community Right to Buy legislation will strengthen local powers to purchase pubs and other hospitality assets, keeping them in community use.

However, the Government understands that pubs have been under huge pressure over recent years. Recognising the value that they bring and the challenges they face, the Government has introduced a 1-year 15 per cent Business Rates relief for all pubs and live music venues in 2026/27, on top of the existing support package announced at Budget. This means around three quarters of pubs see their bills falling or remaining the same in 2026/27.

The Government set out the impacts of changes to alcohol duty in Tax Information and Impact Notes (TIIN). They are linked: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-the-rates-of-alcohol-duty/alcohol-duty-uprating and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-duty-rates-change.

Where changes are made, including those that impact employment costs, relevant impact notes and assessments are published at fiscal events and otherwise as necessary, in line with the Government’s usual practice.