Britain’s largest airports are becoming a member of the rising non-public sector backlash towards Rachel Reeves’s price range, warning {that a} £1bn enterprise charges invoice for the business will set off the cancellation of routes to and from the UK and better prices for passengers.
Sky Information has obtained a draft letter from Airports UK, which represents greater than 50 airports throughout the nation, which claims that enterprise charges revaluations will consequence within the business being pressured to pay greater than £1bn – a fivefold improve from the present degree.
It describes the influence as “catastrophic”, and calls for an pressing assembly with the chancellor to debate the measures, which might have an effect on the sector from April 2026.
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“Airports are already some of the largest rates payers in the country,” it mentioned.
“These revaluations will increase average rates bills for airports in England by more than 450%, with some airports facing multiples of 12 times.”
The draft letter, which is addressed to Ms Reeves and supposed to be copied to Sir Keir Starmer and different cupboard ministers, is known to be near being finalised.
One business supply mentioned it may very well be despatched within the coming days.
Within the model seen by Sky Information, the business physique says the hovering charges invoice “is equivalent to doubling the corporation tax levied on the sector, at a time when the government has committed to stable tax and policy regimes to drive business confidence and stimulate private sector investment”.
“These increases in rates, however, would destroy any chance of this and cause huge damage to the economy,” it mentioned.
“Investment in airport assets will decrease, routes to and from the UK will be lost (as can already be seen in Germany where taxes are rising), trade will be hurt, and British travellers will be hit with higher costs and less choice.”
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Airports UK additionally mentioned that the tax adjustments introduced within the Finances would jeopardise the federal government’s complete progress agenda.
“Without our sector as a major partner, the government’s ambition to secure the highest growth rate in the G7 and unlock an investment-led approach to transforming the economy will be materially damaged,” it mentioned.
“The [Valuation Office Agency’s] revaluation [to determine future business rates liabilities] will threaten the UK’s standing as a frontrunner in aviation and a hub for world connectivity and commerce.
“Airports can’t be anticipated to maintain will increase of this magnitude with out having to reduce funding or to chop routes.
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“These increases are punitive against all sizes of airports and threaten the very viability of several airports, without which critical regional connectivity would be lost.”
“This would imperil your growth mission before it even gets started, and we request an urgent meeting in December to resolve this matter.”
The letter makes airports the most recent in a string of industries to ship stark warnings to the Treasury concerning the Finances’s seemingly influence.
In latest weeks, Sky Information has revealed comparable letters from the hospitality and retail sectors, wherein they’ve instructed the chancellor that job losses, enterprise closures and worth rises shall be unavoidable when rises to employers’ nationwide insurance coverage come into impact subsequent April.
The warning from the airports business comes amid a slew of company exercise within the sector, with The Sunday Instances reporting final weekend that London Metropolis and Bristol airports might quickly change palms in a £10bn deal.
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Heathrow’s shareholder base has additionally modified in latest months, with Paris-based investor Ardian and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund swooping for a 38% stake.
A spokesman for Airports UK declined to touch upon the letter.
The commerce affiliation is run by Karen Dee and chaired by Baroness McGregor-Smith, a distinguished businesswoman.
