DCMS recognises the significant value that the holiday parks industry provides in supporting our rural and coastal economies. The Government is committed to ensuring their long-term viability by modernising the business rates system and providing targeted marketing to overseas visitors.

From April 2026, we are replacing temporary reliefs with permanently lower business rate multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties. This structural shift provides long-term certainty and is worth nearly £900 million annually. To protect businesses from sudden valuation shocks, we have introduced a £3.2 billion Transitional Relief scheme, which caps bill increases at 15% for most businesses

The Government has set out a package of pro-growth regulatory changes for the retail and hospitality sectors, including the first National Licensing Policy Framework, which supports the flexible growth of hospitality services within holiday parks.

DCMS and VisitBritain are actively working to boost visitor numbers and extend the tourism season for coastal and rural operators. The ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign uses the UK’s film and television heritage to drive international visitors into rural destinations, increasing the profile of areas where many premier holiday parks are located.

The forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will cement these measures, providing a long-term plan to increase visitor flows, maximise sector value, and deliver sustainable growth for our coastal and rural communities.

Consumers who purchase holiday and static caravans, often for significant sums, are protected under consumer legislation such as the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 strengthens consumer law enforcement by giving the CMA new administrative powers, and the CMA and courts the ability to impose significant monetary penalties.

It is crucial that consumers seek appropriate legal advice to clearly understand the terms and conditions of any caravan purchase, so they can make a fully informed decision.

My department is also engaging with enforcement bodies to understand more about exploitative practices taking place in the sector and how they can be tackled.

The Government has received a number of representations about inheritance tax changes from business organisations since the Autumn Budget.

The Government has been listening to the different views on this subject and continues to believe its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting businesses and fixing the public finances in a fair way. The Government is not abolishing either agricultural property relief or business property relief. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets.

The Government has set out that around 1,500 estates only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy, that are eligible for business property relief. These reforms mean that around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) certified the costing of these changes at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact.

The Government has received a number of representations about inheritance tax changes from business organisations since the Autumn Budget.

The Government has been listening to the different views on this subject and continues to believe its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting businesses and fixing the public finances in a fair way. The Government is not abolishing either agricultural property relief or business property relief. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets.

The Government has set out that around 1,500 estates only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy, that are eligible for business property relief. These reforms mean that around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) certified the costing of these changes at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact.

The Government has received a number of representations about inheritance tax changes from business organisations since the Autumn Budget.

The Government has been listening to the different views on this subject and continues to believe its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting businesses and fixing the public finances in a fair way. The Government is not abolishing either agricultural property relief or business property relief. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets.

The Government has set out that around 1,500 estates only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy, that are eligible for business property relief. These reforms mean that around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27.

The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) certified the costing of these changes at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact.

We expect that the marketing of all properties accords with the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, which prohibits misleading omissions of key information about the property.

Estate agents’ compliance with the law is overseen by the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agent Team, who can issue warning or banning orders to agents who fail to comply.

Consumers should make sure they are clear about any restrictions on the property before purchasing, informed by checks on the property title carried out by their conveyancing solicitor before contracts are exchanged.

The data requested is not held centrally.

Holiday parks are a key part of the UK’s tourism landscape and enjoyed by many visitors around the country, as well as being important local employers and bringing wider benefits to regional visitor economies.

As a department, we are therefore concerned about the closures of Pontins sites at Prestatyn Sands, Camber Sands and Southport, particularly with regards to supporting staff from those sites who no longer have roles, as well as tourism businesses who rely on the secondary spend of visitors to Pontins.

The Culture Secretary has set out her concerns around job losses and the impact on the local tourism sector in written correspondence with Britannia, and requested a meeting to discuss.

Caravan park owners and operators are subject to consumer protection legislation. They are also subject to planning and site licensing rules overseen by local authorities.

We believe the existing consumer protection legislation provides the tools necessary for tackling rogue practices in this sector. However, we have announced our intention to strengthen consumer enforcement and have brought forward additional measures as part of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill.

The department has not discussed these issues with the Competition and Markets Authority recently.

The Home Office are engaged with a number of local authorities on sourcing appropriate accommodation for asylum seekers. We are committed to engaging with local authorities and local partners to support successful delivery. The Home Office most recently met with Sefton Council on 12^th January 2023 to discuss asylum support in the area.

As detailed in the Prime Minister’s statement to the house on 13^th December, the Home Office are identifying options to provide alternative accommodation to support asylum seekers, this includes exploring the use of holiday parks. The Home Office are engaged with a number of local authorities, including Sefton Council, on sourcing appropriate accommodation for asylum seekers.