John Allan, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), provided a mixed response to the statement. Whilst stating that the Chancellor had recognised some of their concerns, the statement failed to implement deeper reforms:
“Action on business rates was the top priority for our members, and the Chancellor has addressed some of their concerns in the Autumn Statement. Too many businesses suffer from yearly price rises so capping business rates increases is a welcome measure.
“What remains outstanding is a fundamental reform of business rates, which we will continue to press for.”
