Higher business taxes to cost pub sector ยฃ150m and threaten jobs โ analysis
Pubs are facing steeper business taxes that could cost the sector an extra ยฃ150 million and threaten thousands of jobs, new analysis suggests.
Firms will end up paying more despite business rates being lowered in the Budget, industry bosses are warning.
This is because they are facing a cut to existing tax relief next year, coupled with revaluations that could push up how much pubs can be taxed.
New analysis from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) estimates that higher bills will cost the industry an extra ยฃ150 million โ the equivalent to 12,500 jobs.
The BBPA calculated that bills will rise by ยฃ3,867 for the average small pub from next year, and by ยฃ11,085 for the average medium-sized pub.
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said pubs across the country โare anxiously doing the sums and many will now see their bills will dramatically go up, not down, despite the impression the Budget gaveโ.
โThe new lower multipliers combined with the loss of the existing relief will not counter the huge increase in rateable values,โ she told the Press Association.
In the Budget, the Government confirmed a current 40% discount for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses โ which is capped at ยฃ110,000 per business โ will end on March 31 next year.
This will be replaced by a new system from the next financial year, which will see rates multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure firms set 5p lower than the standard rate with no cap in support.
Rachel Reeves said it would be the โlowest rates since 1991โ and would be paid for through higher rates on properties worth more than ยฃ500,000 โ including the warehouses used by โonline giantsโ.
However, the discount is less generous than the 20p reduction it could have been, industry groups say.
And analysis since Wednesdayโs Budget has indicated that the change, combined with an increase in rateable values for most pubs, will result in a sharp annual increase to bills.
Separate calculations by industry group UKHospitality found that the average pubโs business rates, even with the reduced multiplier, will increase by 15% next year โ amounting to an extra ยฃ1,400.
By 2027-28, the average pubโs rates will be ยฃ4,500 higher than today, and by 2028-29, they will be ยฃ7,000 higher, according to its analysis.
Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, said plans in the Budget were โquickly unravellingโ.
โWe repeatedly warned the Treasury ahead of the Budget that hospitality would be uniquely impacted by significant increases to rateable values, due to the pandemic impacting previous valuations,โ she said.
โThe Government can solve this issue. Iโm certain they did not intend to provide online giants, office blocks and out-of-town supermarkets with a better deal than local pubs, neighbourhood restaurants and coastal hotels.โ
