UK: New Alcohol Duty Comes Into Effect Bringing Alcohol Tax System Closer to International Standards

The alcohol duty change on August 1, 2023 makes duty across different types of alcohol more consistent by taxing based on alcoholic strength by volume (ABV).
After a decade of cuts and freezes to the alcohol duty in Britain, in August the level of duty will rise with inflation – an international best practice and World Health Organization recommendation.
With the new alcohol duty system alcohol tax rates will lower the cost of beer for pub-goers and will raise the cost of most other alcoholic beverages in supermarkets and other off-licenses.
In recent decades, alcohol had been getting ever cheaper, fueling a public health crisis.