How will the Budget treat business rates for retail, hospitality and leisure?
Multiple choiceResolves 28 Oct 2026
Hunch
Further relief or a lower multiplier46%
Existing settlement confirmed, nothing new34%
Relief reduced or withdrawn20%
Your forecast
Further relief or a lower multiplier
Existing settlement confirmed, nothing new
Relief reduced or withdrawn
Resolved
Resolved: Further relief or a lower multiplier
The Budget of 28 October 2026 gives retail, hospitality and leisure in England more relief, with higher Small Business Rates Relief thresholds and a two-year real-terms freeze, while only vape shops and adult gaming centres lose relief, the Budget 2026 document on GOV.UK shows.
Resolved 28 Oct 2026
How this resolves
The market resolves on the same Budget documents, read for direction: further relief or a lower multiplier, confirmation with nothing new, or a reduction or withdrawal. If that source has not published in time, the MHCLG information letter and BBC News settle it.
The pattern behind it
7 of 8
Seven of the last eight autumn events carried a measure for the sector: the pubs discount extension of 2017, the retail discount of 2018, the 50, 75 and extended 75 per cent reliefs of 2021 to 2023, the cut to 40 per cent with permanent lower multipliers in 2024, and the multipliers themselves in 2025. The 2020 Spending Review is the exception; it froze the multiplier and the sector's relief came at the March 2021 Budget instead. Over the ten events since 2015 it is seven of ten, the 2015 and 2016 Autumn Statements having dealt with small business and rural relief only. Two of the seven, 2024 and 2025, were reductions in generosity dressed as continuity.
We looked at every autumn Budget or Statement from 2015 to 2025. There were ten, with none in 2019. For each one we read the letter on business rates that the government sends councils afterwards. We asked whether it brought a new or longer rates cut for shops, hospitality, leisure or pubs in England. A general freeze or help for small firms alone does not count. The page shows the last eight and counts all ten.
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