Business Rates

There are a number of employment and tax

A number of employment and taxation updates are coming into effect from April 2026. To help retailers prepare, we’ve set out the key changes below, along with links to further guidance.

Employment changes

A number of employment and taxation updates are coming into effect from April 2026. To help retailers prepare, we’ve set out the key changes below, along with links to further guidance.

Employment changes

The Association of Convenience Stores has called on the Government to urgently set out a plan to incentivise growth and investment in the convenience sector, after no action was taken in the Spring Statement to reduce the impact of impending rates hikes.

ACS has welcomed recommendations in a new report from the Business and Trade Committee on the Government's Small Business Strategy aimed at tackling crime and reducing costs for local shops.

The report, released today (10 February 2026), follows the publication of the Small Business Strategy in July 2025, and is the result of a months-long inquiry into the challenges facing small businesses. The report highlights a number of specific issues, including late payments, business rates costs, employment costs, energy costs, and retail crime as barriers to growth for SMEs.