The Budget
The 2024 Budget
Last year, CAMRA successfully campaigned for a short freeze on alcohol duty, and increased the gap between tax paid on draught beer and cider, and that sold in off-licenses and supermarkets.
This year we called for the Chancellor to make sure that the draught duty rate was able to realise it’s full potential, with a meaningful cut to the draught rate and a resolution to the ban on sales of incidental takeaway pints. We also asked the Treasury to put more money in the pockets of consumers with a lower rate of VAT for hospitality.
What support is available for the trade?
Alcohol Duty Review reforms won by CAMRA began in August 2023, with the new draught duty rate applying to containers of 20L and above.
Some Business Rates relief was extended for hospitality businesses in England in 2023/24, but no changes were made to the Business Rates system, despite calls for fundamental reform.
So what’s next?
We didn’t see everything we had hoped for at the Spring Budget.
The Chancellor’s decision freeze Alcohol Duty is also positive, but missed an opportunity to target support to pubs and social clubs with a cut to draught duty.
Existing support on Business Rates for hospitality businesses in England will undoubtedly help some in the trade, but CAMRA believes full reform of the system is what is needed – not a short term fix.
We also saw no action on resolving the issues around takeaway pints, or support on energy costs.
CAMRA’s campaigning
Use the links below to explore more on the issues we’re the campaigning for at Budget, and read about the vital change we’d like to see made to the new beer tax system.
Our members can also go to the Campaigns Hub and find additional resources, including Campaign Packs on energy bills and business rates.