What was announced
The Chancellor’s Autumn Budget on 28 October 2026 included three things the UK meetings and events sector has picked up on: a 3.9% rise in the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage from April 2027, plans to let local authorities introduce overnight visitor levies, which the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) says are not expected until 2028, and no change to VAT on hospitality. It also named two events directly: £6 million for the first phase of Destination SEC in Glasgow, and the next International Investment Summit, which will be held in Gateshead.
Industry bodies have responded over the past two days. Most welcomed the focus on growth, but the main concerns are staff costs and the visitor levy.
Staff costs
The MIA says the wage rise will add to pressure on employers that are already struggling to take on junior staff. Its People Insights 2026 research found that 90% of respondents said employment costs had restricted their ability to recruit younger and entry-level staff, and 57% were not confident they had the right people for their future needs. Shonali Devereaux, the MIA’s chief executive, said: “While we fully recognise the importance of fair pay, a further 3.9% increase in the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage will add to the financial pressures facing UK businesses managing rising employment and operational costs.”
beam chair David Tremmil told M&IT the budget was “disappointing” and said the sector needs practical support “particularly around employer National Insurance, business rates and the increasing cost of operating.”
The overnight visitor levy
The levy drew the most comment. The MIA says a levy could help if the money is put back into transport and destinations, but warns that extra charges on residential conferences could influence where events are held, and that different charges in different regions would make things more complicated for organisers working across the UK. It says it will work with beam and the Business Travel Association over the next 12 months on how levies are introduced and run.
As reported by M&IT, the Alliance of Independent Event Agencies (AIEA) said its concern is “the absence of a ceiling or set rate”, and UKinbound chief executive Joss Croft called the proposed timeline for an England overnight visitor levy “a significant red flag for the visitor economy” and asked for at least 18 months to prepare once the details are final.
VAT and business rates
AIEA chair Sabine Edwards welcomed the extension of business rates relief for smaller hospitality and leisure businesses, but told M&IT it was “a real disappointment that the budget offered nothing on VAT”. David Watt, chief executive of CI Group, said venues and suppliers will face higher costs with no hospitality VAT cut to offset them, and that buyers should expect continued pressure on budgets.
What it means for event buyers
This is Events Review’s reading, not a statement from any of the bodies quoted. Nothing changes for events running this winter. The wage rise lands in April 2027, so venue and supplier quotes for events from next spring onwards may start to reflect it, and it is worth checking how long any quote you are given is fixed for. The visitor levy is further off and the rate is not known yet, but for residential conferences booked for 2028 and later it would be sensible to ask whether accommodation prices could change if the local authority introduces a levy, and who would pay it.
Related coverage
The Glasgow funding is covered in more detail in The UK Government will put £6 million into the first phase of Destination SEC in Glasgow.
Sources
- MIA: The Meetings Industry Association responds to the Autumn Budget
- MIA: Beyond the Budget: Making the case for the true value of business events
- M&IT: ‘Words on growth aren’t enough’: sector reacts to autumn budget
Sources read on 30 October 2026. The MIA’s figures and quotes are from its own statements. The beam, AIEA, UKinbound and CI Group comments are as reported by M&IT. The notes for event buyers are Events Review’s analysis.
