Top of the in-tray for the new Prime Minister will be the cost of living crisis, a problem for businesses and customers alike. Businesses large and small, up and down the country, will be grappling with higher energy bills.

ABTA is already pushing on the issue of higher energy costs with the leadership candidates and relevant Government departments, including suggesting the extension of business rates support, and Government working with the British Business Bank to give businesses more headroom with the repayment of business loans taken on during the COVID crisis. 

We also support calls from across the business sector for a cap on business energy rates, especially for SME businesses given the extent of the challenge they face. We will be engaging with newly appointed Ministers as soon as they are in place to emphasise the severity of the difficulties faced by ABTA Members.
 
ABTA coordinates the Future Travel Coalition of travel trade bodies and consortia. Cost of living challenges are an active part of our discussions as a group, and we will be acting together to present to Government the scale of the challenge facing the sector. The Coalition meets on a monthly basis and next week we’ll be welcoming the group to ABTA’s office to look at the action the group can take together on cost of living, and continuing with other lobbying priorities. 

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive