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Industry raises collective clarion call to freeze business rates

Industry raises collective clarion call to freeze business rates
(Photo by LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images

A coalition of hospitality, retail and leisure organisations, including ACS, have written to the Chancellor urging him to freeze the business rates multiplier and extend existing reliefs for a further year at the upcoming Autumn Statement.

In a joint letter, ACS, UKHospitality, British Retail Consortium, British Independent Retail Association and ukactive are warning that businesses, jobs and the future of high streets are at risk without support.


In the 2022 Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced a package of business rates support including a freeze to the business rates multiplier and an increase in rates relief to help businesses cope with the impact of the energy crisis and inflationary pressures.

The letter calls on the Chancellor to recognise the pressures that businesses are under as a result of rising energy prices and wage costs and urges the Government to continue this much needed support to protect the future of our high streets and local communities.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Ongoing support with the cost of business rates is essential to incentivise investment in local high streets and shopping parades.

“We urge the Chancellor to maintain business rate reliefs and to freeze any increase in business rates at the Autumn Financial Statement. This will support the continued growth of the £600 million annual investment that local convenience stores already make in their communities."

The joint letter is available here.

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Fed National President Mo Razzaq

Indies: It’s criminal police and government turn blind eye to shoplifting

Independent retailers are demanding tougher police action, more bobbies on the beat and harsher punishments as shoplifting levels reach an all-time high, a new survey reveals.

A whopping ninety-one per cent of respondents to a survey conducted by the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) called for more police patrols on streets, while a similar number - 90 per cent - said that shoplifters should be handed harsher sentences.

Seven out of 10 respondents (72 per cent) said their stores had experienced shoplifting, break ins and damage to property, while they and their staff had been physically or verbally threatened.

Just under half of respondents (47 per cent) said they and their employees had been threatened or had suffered abuse and violence when asking for proof of age ahead of selling an age-restricted product.

Forty-four per cent reported that they and their staff had faced abuse or violence because they had refused to make a proxy sale – selling an age restricted product to a customer buying for a minor.

The results of the Fed’s survey came as new figures from the Office of National Statistics revealed that shoplifting was at a record high, with almost half a million offences recorded last year.

According to the ONS, 469,788 offences were logged by forces in the year to June 2024 – a 29 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

The ONS added that this figure was the highest since records began – in March 2003.

“Inadequate responses from the police and a slap on the wrist for offenders means that shoplifting is soaring, and offenders are becoming more aggressive and brazen,” said Fed National President Mo Razzaq.

“From the responses we received, it is clear that real action is needed by police, by courts and by the government to stem the overwhelming tide of crime against retailers and their staff. Everyone deserves to feel safe at work and for their businesses to be protected against criminals.

“Fed members are also sending a clear message that one of the catalysts for verbal and physical abuse in stores is asking for proof of age before selling an age restricted product. If the government presses ahead with its plans to phase out smoking and vaping through a progressive ban to gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the country, independent retailers will be subject to even greater levels of violence, abuse and theft.”

Calling for action from the government and not just words, Mr Razzaq continued: “Without effective deterrent, criminals and opportunistic members of the public will continue to commit crimes.”

According to Ministry of Justice statistics, during the year to March 2024, 431 fines were handed out for retail theft under £100, while Home Office statistics for the same period show that 2,252 cautions were accepted for shoplifting.

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