Autumn Budget 2026: the date, and the business taxes in force before it
The confirmed Budget date, and the business rates and employer National Insurance that apply until the Chancellor announces any change.
The Autumn Budget was on 28 October 2026.
A Budget can change the costs a small business pays for its premises, its staff and its borrowing. Before it lands, the useful baseline is what is in force today, so you can see what any announcement changes.
We found no officially pre-announced Budget measures for small businesses when we checked these sources. We do not publish speculation about what the Budget will contain.
The date
The Office for Budget Responsibility forecast will be published on 28 October 2026, accompanied by the Budget. [1]
- Confirmed date The Office for Budget Responsibility forecast will be published on 28 October 2026, accompanied by the Budget. [1]
What the source says
an economic and fiscal forecast for publication on 28 October 2026. This will be accompanied by the Budget.
- Confirmed date The government announced the Budget for Wednesday 28th October. [2]
What the source says
the date of my first Budget as Chancellor will be Wednesday 28th October
What to check before 28 October
Prepared on 11 October 2026 from the official pages linked below. It lists what to check now, not what the Budget will contain.
Energy renewals: if you are a microbusiness, your supplier must give you information about renewal prices before your contract ends — check your contract end date and ask for the renewal price. [3]
- To check Energy renewals: if you are a microbusiness, your supplier must give you information about renewal prices before your contract ends — check your contract end date and ask for the renewal price. [3]
What the source says
If you are a microbusiness, you have extra protections when arranging or renewing an energy contract. Your energy supplier must: … provide information about renewal prices before your contract ends
- To check Energy renewals: if a fixed-term contract ends without a new deal, some suppliers move you onto out-of-contract rates. [3]
What the source says
Some suppliers move you onto out-of-contract rates if your fixed-term contract ends without you agreeing to a new deal
- To check Wages from April 2027: the government has asked the Low Pay Commission to consider the cost of living, including inflation forecasts between April 2027 and March 2028, when it recommends future minimum wage rates. [4]
What the source says
The LPC should consider the following factors: the condition of the labour market the cost of living (including inflation forecasts between April 2027 and March 2028)
- To check Wages today: check the hourly rates you pay against the current National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates for each age group. [5]
What the source says
National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates The hourly rate for the minimum wage depends on your age and whether you’re an apprentice
- To check Business rates: find your property's rateable value with the Valuation Office service, then check which multiplier below applies to it. [6]
What the source says
Use this service to find the ‘rateable value’ of a property in England or Wales.
- To check Fuel: note the fuel duty rates in force today for unleaded petrol and diesel, so you can compare them with any change announced in the Budget. [7]
What the source says
Unleaded petrol … Heavy oil (diesel)
- To check Fuel: the government publishes average UK pump prices every week, a baseline for what you pay at the pump now. [8]
What the source says
Road fuel price statistics providing average UK retail 'pump' prices on a weekly basis
Business rates in England, 2026/27
The standard business rates multiplier is 48.0p and the small business multiplier is 43.2p. [9]
- In force The standard business rates multiplier is 48.0p and the small business multiplier is 43.2p. [9]
What the source says
Standard non-domestic rating multiplier: 48.0p (0.48) as found by calculation of the formula in paragraph A3 of Schedule 7 to the 1988 Act, Small business non-domestic rating multiplier: 43.2p (0.432)
- In force The small business multiplier applies to properties with a rateable value that does not exceed £50,999. [9]
What the source says
Ratepayers who occupy a property with a rateable value which does not exceed £50,999 will have their bills calculated using the lower small business non-domestic rating multiplier
- In force Retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties have their own standard multiplier of 43.0p. [9]
What the source says
Standard RHL multiplier: 43.0p (0.43)
- In force The small business retail, hospitality and leisure multiplier is 38.2p. [9]
What the source says
Small business RHL multiplier: 38.2p (0.382)
- In force A high-value multiplier of 50.8p applies to properties with rateable values of £500,000 and above. [9]
What the source says
High-value multiplier: 50.8p (0.508) … a high-value multiplier for properties with rateable values of £500,000 and above
Employer National Insurance, 2026 to 2027
The employer secondary threshold is £96 per week, £417 per month or £5,000 per year. [10]
- In force The employer secondary threshold is £96 per week, £417 per month or £5,000 per year. [10]
What the source says
Secondary threshold £96 per week £417 per month £5,000 per year
- In force The Employment Allowance for 2026 to 2027 is £10,500. [10]
What the source says
Employment Allowance for 2026 to 2027 is £10,500.
What the engine is tracking now
3 indexed analyses cover these costs; the newest is dated 2026-11-01.
The indexed analyses our engine has written on these costs, newest first. Each one shows its chain and its source.
- Neoclouds: These firms you've never heard of are feeding fears the AI bubble could burst 2026-11-01
- The Bank of England's decision to hold interest rates and end long-term gilt sales led to a decrease in government borrowing costs, with yields on both short- and long-term bonds falling significantly. 2026-09-17
- The Governor of the Bank of England discussed the impact of rising energy prices on inflation and monetary policy during a broadcast interview, emphasizing the challenges posed by ongoing geopolitical conflicts. 2026-09-17
The costs behind this briefing: Tariffs and import costs: what the engine tracks · Interest rates and borrowing costs: what the engine tracks · Wage costs: what the engine tracks.
Next update. We will update this page with the measures that affect small businesses after the Budget is published on 28 October 2026.
Which of your costs are moving? The free cost exposure check shows the pressures the engine is tracking for your country, sector and inputs, with the chain and sources for each.
How this analysis was produced
- Data sources
- HM Treasury — Chancellor's letter to the Treasury Committee on the Budget 2026 date; GOV.UK — Budget to move power and money out of Westminster; Ofgem — Get a business energy contract; GOV.UK — Low Pay Commission remit 2026; GOV.UK — National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates; GOV.UK — Find a business rates valuation; GOV.UK — Excise Duty: hydrocarbon oils rates; GOV.UK — Weekly road fuel prices; MHCLG — Notification of non-domestic rating multipliers for 2026/27; GOV.UK — Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027
- What the AI did
- The explainer and the fact list were drafted with AI assistance. Each figure and date was then checked against the quoted passage of its primary source, shown under it. The list of analyses is produced automatically by the engine.
- Checked automatically
- every fact carries its source link and the verbatim passage it rests on; only indexed analyses are listed.
- What people did
- No person reviewed this page before it was published. Errors reported to us are reviewed and corrected on the editorial policy's terms.
- Data as of
By the Branch² Intelligence Desk. How the analysis is made · Editorial policy and corrections
Sources
Every figure and date above was checked against these primary sources on 11 October 2026.
- HM Treasury — Chancellor's letter to the Treasury Committee on the Budget 2026 date — https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a6ca841bf4a7aca8f8977b5/TSC_-_Budget_2026.pdf
- GOV.UK — Budget to move power and money out of Westminster — https://www.gov.uk/government/news/budget-to-move-power-and-money-out-of-westminster-and-into-every-postcode-around-britain
- Ofgem — Get a business energy contract — https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/your-energy-supply/how-manage-your-energy-supply/get-business-energy-contract
- GOV.UK — Low Pay Commission remit 2026 — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-minimum-wage-and-national-living-wage-low-pay-commission-remit-2026/letter-from-peter-kyle-to-low-pay-commission-remit-2026
- GOV.UK — National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates — https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates
- GOV.UK — Find a business rates valuation — https://www.gov.uk/find-business-rates
- GOV.UK — Excise Duty: hydrocarbon oils rates — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-and-allowances-excise-duty-hydrocarbon-oils/excise-duty-hydrocarbon-oils-rates
- GOV.UK — Weekly road fuel prices — https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices
- MHCLG — Notification of non-domestic rating multipliers for 2026/27 — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/22026-notification-of-non-domestic-rating-multipliers-for-202627/22026-notification-of-non-domestic-rating-multipliers-for-202627
- GOV.UK — Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027 — https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rates-and-thresholds-for-employers-2026-to-2027
Automated analysis for information only. Not investment advice. Read the full disclaimer. How we work: methodology · editorial policy.