Solar power business rate fear

The business rate rises will be introduced as planned from April. Many warehouses in the UK have extensive solar panel installations on their rooftops.

Paul Barwell from the Solar Trade Association said: “We are dismayed that responsible organisations that use their own rooftop solar are still facing an extreme business rate rise of up to 800% from April.”

However Philip Hammond promised £435 million for companies affected by increases in business rates. 

Industry organisations called for cut in fuel duty arguing that it would enable British companies in the post-Brexit environment but fuel duty was frozen again.

The Chancellor also committed £270m of funding to ‘disruptive’ technologies such as robotics and driverless vehicle systems.