Petitions/Make a cappella choirs eligible for the Treasury's Orchestra Tax Relief scheme
StatusClosed
Opened1 Oct 2025
Closes1 Apr 2026
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

The Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR) is offered to instrumentalist groups on public musical performances. I think the human voice is a versatile instrument capable of conveying emotion, rhythm, melody and harmony yet doesn't apply as a qualifying instrument for OTR, and this unfair definition must change.

A cappella choirs can face the same financial challenges as traditional orchestras do in putting on paid public performances but are disqualified from claiming OTR because of Treasury rules. The opportunity to sing in public performances can promote mental wellbeing whilst also funding the choir's progress, so where is the commonsense in excluding a cappella groups from the ability to claim OTR ?

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Constituency engagement ranking

Kirith Entwistle
1Kirith Entwistle MP
Bolton North East
5
Tim Roca
2Tim Roca MP
Macclesfield
5
Jo Platt
3Jo Platt MP
Leigh and Atherton
4
Phil Brickell
4Phil Brickell MP
Bolton West
3
Tom Morrison
5Tom Morrison MP
Cheadle
3
Lisa Smart
6Lisa Smart MP
Hazel Grove
3
Mr Connor Rand
7Mr Connor Rand MP
Altrincham and Sale West
2
Mr James Frith
8Mr James Frith MP
Bury North
2
Sir Lindsay Hoyle
9Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP
Chorley
2
Afzal Khan
10Afzal Khan MP
Manchester Rusholme
2