Call for pubs rates relief to spread to Wales

A call has been made for Welsh pubs to enjoy the increased business rates support announced by the UK Government yesterday.

The support comes on top of the £4.3 billion package the Chancellor announced at Budget 2025 and includes capping business rate bill rises by 15% for most businesses from April, or £800 for the smallest, next year as pandemic-era reliefs end and new revaluations take effect.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said that “if we’re going to restore the pride in our communities, we need our pubs and our high streets to thrive”, but the move is for pubs in England only, sparking a call from the Welsh Beer & Pub Association (WBPA) has warned that the Senedd must also take action to enhance relief across the border, or risk further pub closures and job losses.

A WBPA spokesperson said: “Pubs across Wales urgently need additional support. While we welcomed the Covid reliefs, newer measures simply do not go far enough.

“The support measures for retail, excluding the pub sector is damaging for pubs across Wales that are a social lifeline for so many. Without further action, many pubs will struggle to keep their doors open, and we risk losing more jobs in communities across the country.

“Even before the UK Chancellor’s announcement today, Welsh pubs were already facing significantly higher business rates bills due to drastically lower reliefs than in England. The additional support announced today will now widen that gap further, making it even harder to attract investment into Wales’s pub and brewing sector.

“The Senedd will receive additional funding as a result of this change. It is vital that this relief is passed on - and goes further - to protect pubs, safeguard jobs, and support an industry that is central to Wales's social and economic fabric.”