# Chancellor spares smokers and vapers from fresh tax hikes weeks after inflation-busting duties hit wallets – as vape shops lose business rates relief

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/chancellor-spares-smokers-and-vapers-from-fresh-tax-hikes-weeks-after-inflation-busting-duties-hit-wallets-as-vape-shops-lose-business-rates-relief/
- Published: 2026-10-28T14:19:25+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-28T15:16:41+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16243199/budget-2026-tobacco-smoking-vaping-duty-vape-shops.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Business, Economy, World

## Key points

- Vape shops will lose business rates relief from April.
- The change is forecast to raise £10 million a year.
- It follows new duties on vaping products and tobacco.

## Summary

The Chancellor has spared smokers and vapers from further new taxes in the Budget, but vape shops will lose business rates relief from April. The change is intended to help fund a higher threshold for small business rates relief and is presented by the Treasury as support for other high street businesses.

Vape shops will lose a 5p rates discount and access to small business relief, a change the Treasury expects to raise £10 million a year. The sector says legitimate specialist retailers could be harmed while convenience stores that also sell vapes may retain relief. The move follows a £2.20-per-10ml vaping duty introduced on 1 October and an inflation-busting tobacco duty rise; a heavy vape user consuming 270 bottles a year could face around £600 in extra annual costs.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.