- Start
- Feb 1, 202590% CONFIDENCEfrom the source
- End
- Jan 31, 202690% CONFIDENCEfrom the source
UK Alcohol Duty Rises With Inflation as Draught Duty Is Cut 1.7%
- Alcohol duty on non-draught beer, cider, wine and spirits rose in line with Retail Price Index inflation[1][2]
- Duty on qualifying draught products under 8.5% ABV was cut by 1.7% in cash terms, 5.1% against an RPI rise, so an average-strength pint (4.58% ABV) pays 1p less duty[2]
- That lifts Draught Relief from 9.2% to 13.9% for beer and cider and from 23% to 26.9% for draught wine, other fermented products and spirits, to support pubs[1][2]
- The temporary wine easement, a transitional arrangement since the August 2023 duty reform, ended as planned[1][2]
- Small Producer Relief discounts rose for non-draught products; HMRC puts the package's Exchequer cost at £85 million in 2025-26[1][2]
References 290% CONFIDENCEOverall confidence: 90%How well the pin's source and references back up its dates.Weighted average of how firmly 2 references, the source included, support the pin's start and end times; a reference counts half as much for every 180 days older than the newestShow all pins at 75% confidence or better
The first entry is always the pin's source. Overall confidence is a weighted average of how firmly each reference supports the start and end times used above; a reference counts half as much for every 180 days older than the newest.
- [1]90%gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-the-rates-of-alcohol-dutygov.uk· Posted Sep 27, 2026· Starts Feb 1, 2025 ✓· Ends Jan 31, 2026 ✓· 94% of score
HMRC, published 30 October 2024: 'These changes take effect from 1 February 2025'; the rates applied until the next uprating 'on and after 1 February 2026'.
- [2]95%Alcohol Duty uprating - HMRC policy paper (Autumn Budget 2024)gov.uk· Published Oct 30, 2024· 6% of score
Draught rates cut 1.7% in cash terms (5.1% against RPI), Draught Relief worth 13.9% for beer and cider and 26.9% for wine and spirits, non-draught rates up with RPI, wine easement ends 1 February 2025; Exchequer cost £85 million in 2025-26.[1]
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