Reduce VAT on hospitality to 10% to prevent closures & protect tax revenue. When venues close, HMRC loses 100% of its VAT, business rates, PAYE & corporation tax, reducing employment & supply chains. We believe a lower VAT rate would keep viable businesses trading, securing jobs & ongoing revenue.
Hospitality businesses operate on very tight margins and struggle to absorb 20% VAT alongside rising food, energy, wage and rent costs. We believe a permanent reduction to 10% VAT would save jobs, keep venues open, support apprenticeships and skills, and strengthen high streets – it would help businesses survive and continue contributing billions to the UK economy. This would protect local jobs, keep pubs and restaurants open, and help high streets, tourism and communities survive.
Government response
The Government is supporting UK hospitality through Great British Summer Savings and lower business rates. Cutting VAT to 10% would cost around £11 billion a year.