Consultation response: Autumn Budget 2026

In our submission to the Autumn Budget 2026, Alcohol Change UK sets out why action on alcohol harm can help make our communities healthier, safer and more prosperous.

We are calling on the Government to take action on alcohol harm by:

• Committing to uprating duty rates each year at 2-5% above inflation by reintroducing the alcohol duty escalator.
• Reducing the amount of cheap, high-strength cider on our shelves by closing the cider duty loophole.
• Lowering the strength threshold for the higher rates of duty from 8.5% to 6.5% ABV. This level is widely considered to be strong for beer or cider.
• Introducing Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) in England with a rate escalator.

Below you can download and read our full response to the consultation.