Pint prices to rise as Healey hikes beer duty

The price of a pint is set to rise by 2p after John Healey announced plans to hike beer duty, saddling pubs with more costs despite a commitment to cut their business rates. The Chancellor said alcohol duty, which is charged on every pint sold, will rise in line with Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation, which stands at 3.9 per cent. This will push up the duty on a pint from 50p to 52p. The hike to beer duty will disappoint pub landlords across the country, who were cheered by the Treasury’s commitment to cut their business rates but had been hoping for more support at the Budget. Healey sought to soften this blow by handing a £10m boost to alcohol duty relief, which will benefit more than 2,000 British beer brewers and cider makers. Small alcohol producers make an important contribution to the economy and local communities, the Treasury s Budget document said. The increase to alcohol duty will add between 10p and 12p to the price of a bottle of wine, depending on its