ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is encouraging more retailers to write to their local MP ahead of the Autumn Budget next week, calling for action on business rates. This push follows ACS’s letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves and its Budget submission, both emphasising the need for measures that support investment and protect local shops.

In the letter, ACS highlighted that convenience stores face £612m in additional costs this year due to rising business rates, increases in the National Living Wage, and changes to Employers’ National Insurance Contributions. The Budget submission also called on government to back key proposals, including:

• Setting the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) multipliers 20p lower than the standard and small business multipliers to offset cost pressures and support investment.

• Index Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR) thresholds to reflect rising rateable values, ensuring businesses don’t lose support simply due to inflation.

• Extending Improvement Relief from 12 months to three years and expanding it to include plant & machinery and security systems such as CCTV to encourage investment in energy efficiency and store safety.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Convenience stores are a vital lifeline for communities, providing essential products and services, creating jobs, and serving as social hubs. However, rising costs are forcing retailers into impossible decisions; decreasing staff hours, reducing services, or even closing all together. We are encouraging retailers to raise the challenges they face with their MP and seek support for urgent action to deliver a fairer system that enables businesses to remain open and invest in their local communities.”