07/10/2026
The UK has one of the highest b**r tax levels in Europe, ten times higher than in Germany. This tax, called b**r duty, is added to the cost of your pint.
Every year, the Chancellor decides on b**r duty in the Budget. If it is not mentioned in the Budget speech, it automatically rises with inflation.
We believe the Chancellor should Drop the Tap Tax and announce a reduction in the tax applied to pub b**r, supporting community pubs and independent breweries.
B**r is an essential part of the pub - 60% of all drinks sold in the pub are b**r and 80% of what’s produced by the UK’s 1,500 small independent breweries is sold in local pubs and taprooms.
The Chancellor has a mechanism (called Draught Relief) that allows duty changes to be targeted at b**r sold in pubs via handpulls and keg taps. This Draught Relief is currently at 13.9%, but widening it to 30% or more could be a real boost for our community pubs, independent breweries and the jobs they support. It could create more jobs, grow the economy, and see millions of extra pints poured.
Our community pubs and independent breweries need your support. Last year we lost 137 small breweries in the UK, and two pubs every day have closed so far in 2026. You can help by asking the Chancellor to by signing the petition and writing to your MP. Together we can keep the b**r flowing in our nation’s pubs.
