Overview
- Rachel Reeves said she is working intensely on a targeted, temporary package for pubs with details due in the next few days and weeks.
- Valuation Office Agency head Jonathan Russell told MPs that about 13% of pubs — roughly 5,100 — have seen their rateable values double, with average pub valuations up around a third.
- The Government cut the business rates multiplier and set a £4.3bn transitional fund running to 2029, but the phase‑out of Covid‑era discounts means many pubs still face higher bills from April.
- A dispute over prior warnings has escalated after Peter Kyle said ministers lacked VOA data, while the agency said it provided sector‑level “data drops” ahead of the Budget.
- Industry groups warn more than 2,000 hospitality venues could shut in 2026 without broader relief, with estimates that the average pub will pay about £1,400 more in year one and £12,900 over three years.