Tax on beer frozen as part of Jeremy Hunt’s ‘Brexit pubs guarantee’

Chancellor was expected to hike duty on alcohol as new tax on drink strength comes into effect

Tax on draught beer in pubs will remain frozen from 1 August this year, chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced.

Delivering his Spring Budget on Wednesday, Mr Hunt said he would “significantly increase the generosity of draught relief” which he said he could not have been done inside the EU.

Mr Hunt told MPs: "From August 1 the duty on draught products in pubs will be up to 11p lower than the duty in supermarkets, a differential we will maintain as part of a new Brexit pubs guarantee. British ale may be warm, but the duty on a pint is frozen."