Cheaper pints under ‘Brexit pubs guarantee’, vows Chancellor

‘Brexit pubs guarantee’ will see cheaper pints, Chancellor vows
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Pints will be cheaper as part of a "Brexit pubs guarantee", the Chancellor vowed on Wednesday.

Tax on beer bought in bars will be 11p lower than that purchased in supermarkets, Jeremy Hunt said.

He announced he would freeze duty on pints beyond August 1, when it was due to increase.

Mr Hunt said "the generosity of draught relief" could not have been done when the UK was in the EU.

Delivering his Spring Budget in the Commons, Mr Hunt said: "My penultimate cost of living measure concerns one of our other most treasured community institutions, the great British pub.

"In December, I extended the alcohol duty freeze until August 1, after which duties will go up in line with inflation in the usual way.

"But today, I will do something that was not possible when we were in the EU and significantly increase the generosity of Draught Relief, so that from August 1 the duty on draught products in pubs will be up to 11p lower than the duty in supermarkets, a differential we will maintain as part of a new Brexit pubs guarantee. British ale may be warm, but the duty on a pint is frozen."

Mr Hunt added that the change will also apply to "every pub in Northern Ireland" due to the Windsor Framework.

Soaring energy and production costs as well as pub rents has pushed the average price of a pint in the capital to almost £7 this year.

Smokers will face increased costs under Mr Hunt’s budget plans as he announced an overall 15 per cent tobacco tax hike.

A pack of 20 is expected to increase £1.15, the largest ever rise.

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