The Meetings Industry Association (MIA) has reacted to the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s 2025 Autumn Budget, which was presented in the House of Commons today.
The MIA’s chief executive, Shonali Devereaux, said on the following areas:
Business Rates
“The government’s proposed reforms will provide welcome relief for over 750,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties through lower business rates from April 2026. However, it is crucial that we receive confirmation that event venues are included within these defined industries. This statement from the Chancellor again reinforces the long-standing need for business meetings and events to be recognised as a distinct sector.
“While our industry’s inclusion in the Business Rates reform would be a positive step, reminiscent of the targeted support venues received during the pandemic, many larger venues could still face increased costs to compensate. We have long called for broader support across the sector, and without clarity and comprehensive measures, this reform risks placing additional strain on the large venues that host major events, potentially impacting their ability to invest, grow, and maintain the high-quality experiences that underpin the UK’s events economy.”
Minimum Wage Increase
“The business meetings and events sector has long provided a gateway into employment, providing vital first-step opportunities for young people, students and those re-entering the workforce. We fully support measures that enhance financial security for workers, but we must also recognise how our industry is uniquely exposed to the impact of minimum wage increases.
“Many event venues and agencies rely heavily on temporary and casual staff to manage natural fluctuations in events and varying service requirements. As wage rates continue to rise alongside broader inflationary and operational costs, profit margins are being squeezed further, which could lead to reductions in staffing levels and, consequently, service and experience quality. This pressure risks weakening pathways into meaningful, long-term employment while placing additional strain on the workforce. Our MIA Insights already show that business meetings and events professionals are under pressure, and these changes are likely to intensify those challenges unless carefully managed within the context of our sector’s staffing model.”
Apprenticeships
“The MIA welcomes the announcement of fully funded under-25 apprenticeships for SMEs , providing a guaranteed pathway for young people into training, education or work. With the persistent skills shortages and high recruitment pressures our sector currently faces, this could significantly strengthen the talent pipeline to enable more venues and agencies – many of which are SMEs – to bring in and train early-career talent to support the development of practical skills our industry needs.
“Our industry has been proactively exploring ways to support and develop early-career talent since before the pandemic, ready to embrace the next generation and build a stable, future-ready workforce. Through The Power of Events, we have pioneered a not-for-profit framework, including school engagement initiatives, to support apprenticeships and develop early-career talent. This announcement reinforces our commitment to continuing this work, and we look forward to hearing more about how our industry can lead in this area”
“The MIA has welcomed productive discussions with government departments in recent months, giving us confidence that our sector will receive the recognition and support it deserves in line with our economic contributions. In light of these discussions and today’s announcements, we now look forward to further conversations to ensure clarity on how these changes will affect our industry and how we can secure the support needed for continued growth.”
Tom Clements, President, National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA)
“The National Outdoor Events Association acknowledges this week’s Budget and the Government’s ambition to stimulate growth. However, much of the approach appears to be driven by increased taxation, particularly at the upper end of the income scale, and we remain concerned about the implications this has for British businesses, including those within the outdoor events sector.
We welcome the rise in the National Living Wage and recognise the positive impact this can have for many workers. That said, when employers also factor in an additional 28% in associated costs, holiday pay, employer National Insurance contributions and pensions, this will inevitably create further upward pressure on rates charged to clients. For an industry already working to balance affordability with sustainability, this may prove challenging.
We are also concerned that fiscal drag could pull some of the lowest-paid workers in our sector into higher tax brackets. At a time when many are still recovering from cost-of-living pressures, this does feel disproportionate and unfair.
More broadly, we remain firm in our view that the Government cannot tax its way to growth. While there are elements of the Budget we agree with, there is little within it that directly supports the outdoor events industry. Hospitality and leisure have received targeted measures, yet once again, no specific packages have been offered to our sector.
Outdoor events play a vital role in the UK’s cultural, social, and economic landscape. We urge the Government to recognise this contribution and work with us to create an environment where our industry can grow sustainably and confidently.”
