The Facts - Protect Retail Jobs

The government promised to ‘level the playing field between the high street and online giants’. Their current plans fall well short of this promise.

Communities across the country will suffer from a further loss of retail jobs without urgent changes to government business rates plans.

The retail sector contributes 5% of GDP to the UK economy and provides direct employment to 3 million people, with a further 2.7 million jobs supported in the supply chain.
The OBR expects business-rates receipts to rise by 10% in 2026/27, from £34bn to £37bn, before reaching £42bn by 2030/31.
The BRC reports that retail provides around 780,000 jobs for 16–25-year-olds, with more than half of these roles offering part-time work.
One in three retail jobs in Britain arebased in premises with a rateable value of more than £500,000.

Business Rates, Explained.

Business rates are taxes paid on commercial properties such as shops, offices and warehouses. Due to the rise in online shopping, successive governments have recognised that the system is outdated and unfair.

The 2025 Autumn Budget introduced five tax bands to replace the previous two-band system. Properties valued at £500,000 or more now face the highest rate: 50.8p for every £1 of rateable value.

Although the government claimed that the high-value band primarily targets giant online retail warehouses, it also targets major supermarkets and anchor shops in communities across the country. Just over 21,000 businesses would be eligible for the higher multiplier, according to the government, but only 1900 of them are distribution warehouses, and even fewer are online merchants.

Andy Burnham has now announced a 20% cut in the business rates bill for pubs, clubs and live music venues to support our high streets. Reducing business rates for hospitality while increasing costs for retail, risks the cost of the weekly shop rising, even if the price of a pint falls.

‍Should the government raise business rates on brick-and-mortar retail, it would put retail jobs at risk, stifle competition, and disincentivise growth within the sector. Increased costs on these stores will impact communities directly, undermining the government's pledge to save the high street.

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