Written Question·Treasury·UIN 92332
Beer and Cider: Excise Duties
Tabled: 18 November 2025
Answered: 24 November 2025
Question
Mr Peter Bedford
Conservative — Mid Leicestershire
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has considered the potential merits of cutting duty on draught beer and cider served in pubs.
Answer
Dan TomlinsonAt Autumn Budget 2024, the government cut alcohol duty rates on draught products by 1.7%, which applies to approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This took a penny of duty off a typical strength pint at a cost to the Exchequer of over £85m a year. Draught beer and cider now pay 13.9% less in duty than their packaged equivalents – an increase of over 50% on the previous draught discount of 9.2%.
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events.