IAS quote on alcohol duty rates freeze

It is disappointing that the chancellor has frozen alcohol duty again in today’s mini-Budget.

This means there is less revenue in real terms at a time when the NHS is in crisis, deaths from alcohol are at record highs, inequalities have grown, and alcohol harm is projected to worsen further.

This decision calls into question Thérèse Coffey’s commitments yesterday to prevention and to supporting our health and social care services as they continue to struggle with the consequences of cheap alcohol.

Cheap alcohol impacts disproportionately on our poorest and most vulnerable communities. Keeping alcohol prices down is therefore not an appropriate response to the cost of living crisis. We will continue to press the Government to introduce pricing policies that reflect the harm that alcohol causes.

We welcome the publication of the Government’s response to the new alcohol duty system – our analysis of which we will publish soon.