Budget and Autumn Financial Statement

The Association of Convenience Stores has written to the Chancellor ahead of the Spring Forecast on March 3rd, urging the Government to take urgent action to mitigate significant business rate hikes coming for local shops in April.

ACS has submitted evidence to the Treasury ahead of the Budget on Wednesday 26th November, calling on the Chancellor to go as far as possible to support convenience retailers via the business rates system and back responsible businesses by funding more enforcement against the illicit trade.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has warned that local shops will face significant new pressures as a result of today’s Budget. The impact will be felt unevenly across the UK’s 50,000 convenience stores, with some measures such as business rate relief and the increased employment allowance mitigating costs for smaller independent stores, while providing no help for chains and larger independent businesses.

The key measures for local shops announced by the Chancellor, and the costs for local shops associated with them, are:

ACS has made its submission to the Treasury ahead of the new Labour government’s first major fiscal event, the Autumn Budget on 30th October, urging the Chancellor to create the conditions that enable retailers to invest in their businesses.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed the Chancellor’s support for local shops by extending the 75% business rates discount for retail and hospitality businesses through 2024-25.