The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) is encouraging more retailers to write to their local MP ahead of the Autumn Budget, calling for action on business rates.
This push follows ACS’s letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves to support investment and protect local shops.
In the letter, the ACS highlighted that convenience stores face £612m in additional costs this year due to rising business rates, increases in the National Living Wage, and changes to Employers’ National Insurance Contributions.
The Budget submission also called on government to back key proposals, including setting the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure multipliers 20p lower than the standard and small business multipliers to offset cost pressures and support investment.
It also calls for Small Business Rate Relief thresholds to reflect rising rateable values, ensuring businesses don’t lose support simply due to inflation.
Finally, it calls for an extension Improvement Relief from 12 months to three years and expanding it to include plant and machinery and security systems such as CCTV, to encourage investment in energy efficiency and store safety.
ACS chief executive James Lowman (left) said: “Convenience stores are a vital lifeline for communities, providing essential products and services, creating jobs and serving as social hubs.
“However, rising costs are forcing retailers into impossible decisions - decreasing staff hours, reducing services, or even closing all together. We’re encouraging retailers to raise the challenges they face with their MP and seek support for urgent action to deliver a fairer system that enables businesses to remain open and invest in their local communities.”
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