Amid media reports that the Starmer government may climbdown on forthcoming increases to the business rates bills faced by pubs in England, National Pharmacy Association chief executive Henry Gregg has said that a similar relief should also be provided to pharmacies.
Gregg said, "Pharmacies have recently seen a 140 per cent increase in their business rates, despite receiving the vast majority of their income from the NHS.
"Any relief or additional support that is being offered to pubs should be extended to community pharmacy premises, who cannot increase their prices to manage these costs, unlike an ordinary high street business.
"We're urging the government to exempt pharmacy businesses from business rates altogether, in the same way as GPs are."
He said that despite a recent uplift, pharmacies still face a huge funding gap of £2.6 billion, and pharmacy closures are taking place in record numbers.
Those still open are going to extraordinary and unsustainable lengths to remain afloat, he added.
