As part of the Autumn Budget measures the Chancellor announced that the duty rates on tobacco products were increased by 2% above the rate of inflation (based on RPI) effective from 6pm on 30 October 2024. It was also confirmed that the duty for hand-rolling tobacco was increased by an additional 10%, to 12% above RPI inflation at the same time to narrow the gap between hand-rolling tobacco and cigarette duty rates.
The Chancellor also announced that effective from 1 February 2025, the government will increase the Alcohol Duty rates that apply to all non-draught products in line with Retail Price Index inflation. In happier news, it was announced that the government will reduce all Alcohol Duty rates for draught products by 1.7% in cash terms (or 5.1% if compared to the baseline expectation that rates would be increased with the Retail Price Index). The reduction to duty rates on draught products will result in the average alcoholic strength pint (4.58% alcohol by volume) paying 1 pence less in duty.
It was further announced that the government will introduce a new duty at a flat rate of 22p/ml on vaping products from October 2026. This will be accompanied by a further one-off increase in tobacco duty to maintain financial incentive to choose vaping over smoking.