Autumn Budget 2021 - Alcohol Missed Opportunity

[Richard-Allen]

Once again another great win for the Brewery industry in the Chancellor's (Rishi Sunak is a teetotal) autumn budget. This isn’t a political statement here, but an observation of just how powerful the brewing industry is.

The voices of the “Alcohol Health Alliance” have been totally ignored. The NHS is struggling to cope with the backlog of alcohol-related cases due to the pandemic, and with the festive season approaching, things will only get worse.

This morning I received an email from Alcohol Change UK, which expresses their deep concern over the lowering of tax on alcohol products in the budget: alcoholchange.org.uk/blog/2...

This is also like a kick in the teeth for the “Alcohol Awareness Week” which is due to run on the 15th of November. This really does annoy me, did anyone else notice that even before the Chancellor read out his Autumn speech, "Weatherspoon's" were announcing their £0.99 pint of beer? (What did Tim Martin know that the rest of us didn't?)

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, welcomed the move to tax alcohol primarily based on its strength but said: “The decision to once again freeze alcohol duty is totally misguided. We are already at a crisis point when it comes to alcohol harm.

“Deaths caused by alcohol reached record highs in 2020 and making alcohol even cheaper will only deepen the health inequalities that this government had promised to address.”

Malcolm Clark, senior cancer prevention policy manager at Cancer Research UK, said the cuts and freezes in alcohol duty risked “sending out the wrong message to the public. There’s no ‘safe level’ of drinking, and whatever your drinking habits, cutting down can reduce your risk of cancer”: independent.co.uk/news/uk/h...

I for one shall be writing to my MP to express my displeasure at this lack of foresight.

We on here have sadly seen too many people this year lose their fight for life through alcohol.

There has to be a better way.

[Millie09]

Hi Richard,.I totally 100% agree with you .

It's not a political reply, but a reply of utter disbelief that once again issues with alcohol goes left behind

I would love for Mr sunak and all the other party people who raised their hands with delight to the reduction of certain alcohol drinks visit a liver unit ward or detox ward .

Little of their knowledge by stating only high volume alcohol will go up in price ,it does not have to be high volume to kill you or cause major health issues that alcohol dependency brings, not to mention the mental health side of it !! ..

I don't know what this world is coming too ,what with everything else gong on its a sad affair.

[Positive001]

I couldn't believe it when l heard it !

[Millie09 in reply to Positive001]

Madness 😠! X x

[Kji378]

😡⚠️😡SHOCKING!!

That's all I can manage at the moment, or else I will swear!

[Positive001 in reply to Kji378]

I'm with you xx😡

[Lils2019]

Very, very disappointed.The chance to raise some much needed funds for our NHS that deals with the issues that alcohol causes.

[1420]

Pathetic Rishi holding a pint of beer with Boris when he’s a teetotal.Don’t know what these Politicians are Plotting,do they want people to drink themselves to death so they save money by not having to pay them state pension which they have paid contributions too.Personally I would not put it past them.

[joeburger]

Totally agree with you, I'm disgusted that when I go out for a meal two small soft drinks cost more than two pints of beer,There's no point writing to my MP he supports pumping raw sewage into the waters of this country.

[user2021a]

Not saying I don't agree with the point you are making but would have to say thatCigarettes are a ridiculous price but that hasn't stopped people smoking.

Alcoholics will still buy alcohol regardless of the price.

Processed food and sugar probably kill more people than alcohol with obesity being one of the biggest health issues but it's still cheaper to buy a packet of biscuits than some fruit and in a lot of cases the processed junk is completely tax free

Petrol/diesel emissions cause global warming and pollution but tax was also frozen for them

Like many policies set by government, the freeze on alcohol tax is more about pleasing as many voters as possible.

[Seoe]

Yes I thought they were all about protecting the NHS, reducing tax on any alcohol sends subconscious message to buy more as people think it’s cheaper and with bubbles just in time to celebrate the coming holidays. Very suprised and business rate tax relief too. Win Win

[Hidden]

This is very disheartening to hear. I wish I could find a strategic paper that I came across earlier this week. I was horrified at one area where it said that patients would be supported ‘ even if they’ve caused it themselves.’!!! This is clearly an outrageously misinformed thing to say on many levels but particularly in the context of this post. In the pursuit of joined up services, clearly someone has missed out a few important dots!