Budget Campaign 2026
Outlining the impact of the Autumn Budget on the retail industry
Retail touches every community across the United Kingdom. As the largest private sector employer in the country, employing 2.8 million people directly, and 2.7 million more supported by retail and retail workers, the industry serves customers and supports growth in every corner of the country.
But this engine of growth has become under increasing strain over the past few years. The pandemic, global energy price shocks and wider economic uncertainty have taken their toll. More recently, the growing cumulative burden of domestic policies, including higher employment costs, rising energy bills, packaging taxes and higher business rates, has reduced the industry’s capacity to invest, create jobs and raise living standards.
This Budget can be a turning point. With the right fiscal environment, retail can help deliver government’s missions on growth, jobs and thriving high streets. Our recommendations can support the Government's ambitions, on everything from tackling the NEETs crisis to .
Dive into the resources below to learn more.
In the Headlines
‘Pro-business’ Burnham reassures chief executives on tax | Financial Times
Retailers cannot afford more bad decisions | The Telegraph
Helen Dickinson op-ed
Hospitality and retail ‘punished’ by highest business tax burden | The Times
The British Retail Consortium and UKHospitality say the sectors are drowning in costs, pushing up prices and putting jobs at risk
Retailers demand energy bill cuts as costs rise by £440m | City AM
Retailers have urged John Healey to slash green policy costs from energy bills
UK high street bosses urge chancellor to cut cost of employing young people | The Guardian
Retailers call on John Healey to raise national insurance contributions threshold in his first budget
UK Firms Tell Healey Tax Cuts Needed in Budget to Boost Hiring | Bloomberg
British business leaders warned Chancellor John Healey that their ability to hire more young workers is contingent on the scale of tax hikes planned for the upcoming budget
Costs piled on by Labour risk sending jobs and investment into reverse, warns high street chief | Daily Mail
Business is at a ‘tipping point’ as costs being piled on by Labour risk sending jobs and investment into reverse, the boss of high street chains Monsoon and Accessorize has warned
Costs piled on by Labour risk sending jobs and investment into reverse, warns high street chief | The Sun
Retail bosses warn a tax raid on huge warehouses could punish ordinary families already battling the cost-of-living crisis
‘After two years of increasing business costs, this Budget must break the cycle’ | Retail Week
This Budget is an opportunity to change course on business costs, believes BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson, who met the Chancellor this week to press retail’s case