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Written question asked by Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 25 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 29 June 2026. It was answered by Blair McDougall (Labour) on Wednesday, 1 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade.

Small Businesses: Coronavirus and Taxation

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make a comparative assessment of the potential impact of (a) the covid-19 pandemic and (b) increases in business rates and National Insurance contributions on small and medium-sized enterprises.

Answer

DBT has no current plans to make a comparative assessment of the potential impact of the covid-19 pandemic and increases in business rates and NI contributions on SMEs.

At the Budget 2026, the Valuation Office announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic.

The Government has already acted to limit increases in bills, including a support package worth £4.3 billion. We are also introducing new permanently lower tax multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £1 billion per year benefiting over 750,000 properties.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
13373
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Employers' contributions Business rates Coronavirus Small businesses
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk