Andy Burnham to ‘go further’ in business rates reform

Andy Burnham, the newly appointed Prime Minister, has pledged to implement further business rates reform as part of his government's efforts to address the cost of living crisis. Following his announcement of a 20 per cent relief on rates for pub and nightclub landlords, Burnham told the BBC that he is prepared to introduce more radical changes to the business rates system.

He stated that he would unveil additional measures alongside Chancellor John Healey in this year's Budget, scheduled for October 28th. Burnham cautioned that he would avoid making promises that cannot be fully funded, given the challenging fiscal outlook he faces. He expressed optimism that a small levy on online sales could alleviate the burden on businesses with physical premises, such as retailers, manufacturers, offices, hotels, theatres, and leisure businesses, which are currently hindered by an outdated tax system.