After months of speculation, the Autumn Budget has finally been released (or rather, leaked by the OBR). The headline measures touch almost every corner of the industry: a proposed visitor levy controlled by England’s regional mayors, a reworking of business rates, another rise in the National Living Wage and a renewed push for apprenticeships aimed at under-25s.
For the events industry, it’s a familiar story. A measure of support intermingled with an imposition of higher costs, and a lingering ambiguity about where exactly the events industry fits into the new framework.
Here, we will break down what the changes mean for the sector – and report how key associations like MIA, AEO and The Business of Events have reacted.
Relief for small venues, higher costs for the rest
Arguably, the main way the Budget will impact the events industry is via changes to business rates that begin in April 2026. The changes are two-fold. On the one hand, the overall business rates multiplier is going down across the board – which sounds like good news. Properties with rateable value (RV) of over £500,000 will pay 50.8p per £1 of RV, while smaller businesses with properties of lower RV will pay 43.2p.
(Rateable value is an estimate of a property’s annual rental value.)
But, at the same time, retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) relief – designed to protect the high-street from online retailers – is being reduced from 40% to 20%.
Essentially, the reduction in rates for small businesses is being paid for by bigger businesses with larger properties, who don’t qualify for the rates reduction and are also losing 20% in relief.
For the events industry, there is one key question. What qualifies as a hospitality and leisure business. Are venues included?
Shonali Devereaux, chief executive of the mia, said the sector needs clarification: “It is crucial that we receive confirmation that event venues are included within these defined industries,” she said. Her concern is that the reforms could mirror pandemic-era support in name only, leaving the largest venues to absorb higher costs without any balancing measures. “Without clarity and comprehensive measures,” she added, “this reform risks placing additional strain on the large venues that host major events, potentially impacting their ability to invest, grow, and maintain the high-quality experiences that underpin the UK’s events economy.”
The EIA echoed that warning, arguing that the higher multiplier “risk[s] unintentionally penalising cultural venues, organisers and suppliers”, and calling for an exemption at minimum for the country’s major cultural institutions.
The visitor levy: investment boon or extra cost?
One of the most eye-catching measures is the new power granted to regional mayors to introduce a levy on overnight stays. At this stage, no rate, threshold or model has been set. The Government has only confirmed a 12-week consultation that will seek views from venues and hotels on how the levy should be structured. That lack of detail leaves many questions unanswered.
For event destinations, the levy has the potential to create a dedicated source of investment for local infrastructure. But for hotels and venues that rely on conference and exhibition business, the risks are obvious. A poorly designed levy could push up room rates, complicate contracts, and weaken the competitiveness of cities vying for major events. Conversely, a simple, fixed-rate scheme that is ring-fenced for transport, public realm and visitor services could help strengthen the business tourism offer in cities with active mayors.
The Events Industry Alliance (EIA) framed it neatly: “We welcome the announcement that Visitor Levys will sit with local Mayors,” the group said. But it also made clear that the sector expects to benefit from funding, urging that “any money raised will be reinvested into the facilities in the local area to support business events”. A levy that merely tops up general budgets would do little to support organisers bringing conferences and exhibitions into a city.
The Business of Events has also urged the sector to take the consultation seriously. Director of news and content, Mike Fletcher, said: “The Business of Events recognises that the levy is welcome news to city mayors, but urges hospitality businesses to get involved with the consultation so that any concerns and views can be considered and used to shape how this tourist tax would ensure that hotels remain competitive and that the money raised by each city is used appropriately for the development of the experience economy.” The point is clear: if this levy is to support business tourism, it must be shaped by those most affected by it.
Minimum wage rise: tighter margins and fewer entry routes
The rise in the National Living Wage adds another layer of pressure. The events industry leans heavily on casual and temporary staff, whose wages rise immediately with each adjustment of the national rate.
The National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over will increase to £12.71 per hour. Rates for younger workers aged 18–20 will also rise under the new youth bands.
Catering teams, front-of-house staff, stewards, security and build/break crews will all fall under the new wage rates. For many venues and agencies already navigating higher insurance, energy and logistics costs, this creates yet another squeeze on already thin margins.
Devereaux said that MIA supports better financial security for workers, but warned that rising wages “alongside broader inflationary and operational costs” could lead to staffing reductions and a decline in service levels.
“This pressure risks weakening pathways into meaningful, long-term employment while placing additional strain on the workforce,” she noted. Our MIA Insights already show that business meetings and events professionals are under pressure, and these changes are likely to intensify those challenges unless carefully managed within the context of our sector’s staffing model.”
Apprenticeships: a rare win for the talent pipeline
On that front, the Budget did offer one unmistakably bright note: fully funded apprenticeships for under-25s in SMEs. For many venues and agencies, this could ease the cost of bringing in early-career staff, particularly for those roles that have been difficult to fill since the pandemic. “This could significantly strengthen the talent pipeline,” Devereaux said.
Taken together, the Budget sketches a familiar picture for the business events industry: opportunities on one side of the ledger, costs on the other, and the ever-present need for clearer definition of the sector within government policy. Much now rests on the consultation process, on whether business rates reform recognises the role of large venues, and on how destinations choose to wield their new levy powers.
The months ahead will determine whether these measures help support a thriving events landscape or add yet another layer of challenge to a sector already asked to deliver more with less.
