Labour urged to raise alcohol taxes over work-related drinking linked to productivity loss.

The Institute for Public Policy Research is urging Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves to raise alcohol taxes to combat a productivity crisis tied to workplace drinking, citing a survey showing nearly one in three workers and 43% of 18-24-year-olds called in sick after work-related drinking events. The IPPR advocates reinstating the scrapped alcohol duty escalator, arguing that alcohol harm affects both public health and the economy. While the government points to its 10-year health plan and £310 million in new funding for treatment, the British Beer & Pub Association warns tax hikes would harm an already struggling industry.