Written question asked by James Naish (Labour) on Monday, 7 September 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 9 September 2026. It was answered by James Murray (Labour) on Tuesday, 15 September 2026 on behalf of the Treasury.

VAT: Rushcliffe

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the impact of VAT rates on (a) pubs, (b) brewers and (c) consumers in Rushcliffe.

Answer

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate are limited and must be balanced against their impact on the public finances.

HMRC estimates that the cost of changing the 20 per cent Standard Rate of VAT on all accommodation and food and beverage services to the Reduced Rate of 5 per cent would be around £17 billion in 2026-27, rising to £19.5 billion in 2030-31.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 27581
Session: 2026-27
Subjects: Beer Public houses VAT Rushcliffe
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk

VAT: Rushcliffe

Secondary information

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