MPs have voted to approve a hike in alcohol duty, meaning the price of a pint, a glass of wine, and a bottle of gin will rise for British consumers. The vote took place on Tuesday evening (November 3), with MPs backing the increase by 331 votes to 181, a majority of 150.
The duty rise of 3.9 per cent is expected to add 2p to the cost of a pint, up to 12p to a bottle of wine, and 35p to a bottle of gin. Alcohol duty is a tax charged at the point of production or importation on alcoholic drinks with a strength of more than 1.2 per cent.
Duty Rates to Rise Across All Drinks
Duty rates differ for beers, ciders and perries, wines, spirits, and other fermented products, but all are set to rise. The increase follows Chancellor John Healey's announcement that alcohol duty was set to rise by 4.55 per cent in line with RPI inflation.
Also on Tuesday evening, MPs voted 420 to 105, a majority of 315, to approve a rise in bank taxes. Banks will pay an extra 3 per cent on the corporation tax surcharge, an increase from the current 3 per cent level to 6 per cent, as part of Chancellor Healey’s Budget.
Budget Response and Criticism
The vote comes a week after Chancellor John Healey delivered the Labour Party Budget last Wednesday, which has been criticised by Labour MP Ian Byrne for not going far enough. Ian Byrne argued that hunger is a “political choice” and pressed the Government to include “the right to food” in future legislation, calling for a credible plan to tackle poverty.
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Byrne said: “The cost-of-living crisis means a daily struggle to keep the heating on, pay the rent, and put food on the table. I welcome any measures that ease that struggle and the direction of travel from the Budget last week was really welcome.
“But breathing space was nowhere near enough when there’s 14 million people struggling to put a meal on the table tonight. People need to see a credible plan to improve their living standards and tackle the shameful poverty and hunger we see across this country.”
The MP for Liverpool West Derby added: “Members across this House have joined with me in calling for the right to food in the next King’s speech. I ask the Government to listen, work with the (Right to Food UK) Commission, and commit to the legislation needed to deliver national change.
“Hunger really is a political choice. The Government has the power and responsibility to end it and give millions in every postcode hope again in politics.”
Elsewhere in the Budget, Chancellor Healey announced that UK households within council tax bands A to D will receive a one-off £100 payment to support with the rising cost of living, set to be paid to eligible households in January 2027. The planned increase to fuel duty has also been scrapped as part of Mr Healey's plans to ease the cost of living for Brits.
