Epos Now Founder and CEO Welcomes Business Rates Cut for Hospitality

Jacyn Heavens said that while the cut was a positive step forward, he is urging Prime Minister Burnham to go further with VAT reduction.

NORWICH, UNITED KINGDOM, July 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Jacyn Heavens, Founder and CEO of Epos Now, one of the UK's leading SaaS and payments services providers supporting over 100,000 merchants worldwide, has welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s 20% cut to business rates for hospitality businesses.

He has described the move as a positive step forward for the small and medium-sized businesses that make up the backbone of Britain's high streets.
The policy will see pubs, clubs and music venues benefit from a 20% reduction in business rates, alongside a raised threshold for independent hospitality, leisure and retail businesses. Reports suggest the cuts would be funded by increasing business rates on large out-of-town distribution warehouses operated by companies such as Amazon.

"This is a lifeline for small and medium businesses who have been squeezed for years by rising costs and an outdated tax system that unfairly favours online giants over the high street," said Jacyn Heavens, Founder and CEO of Epos Now. "Prime Minister Burnham clearly understands the pressure independent hospitality and retail businesses are under, and this announcement shows a government that is finally willing to rebalance the scales."

However, Heavens is urging the Prime Minister to build on this momentum by committing to a reduction in VAT for small and medium businesses.
"Business rates reform is a welcome first step, but it can't be the final one," Heavens continued. "If we're serious about giving small and medium businesses a genuine chance to thrive, we need to go further and cut VAT. That's the single biggest lever the government has to ease the pressure on the businesses that employ millions of people across this country, and I'd urge the Prime Minister not to stop here."

Heavens has been a vocal advocate for VAT reform for small and medium businesses. He previously wrote directly to then-Chancellor Rachel Reeves calling for a reduction in VAT to support SMEs, and has publicly backed Chef Tom Kerridge’s ‘VATs the Problem’ campaign, which has called for hospitality VAT to be cut from 20% to 10%.

About Epos Now

A member of the UK's Unicorn Council and valued at over £1 billion, Epos Now was founded in the UK and supports over 100,000 merchants worldwide, delivering integrated solutions across payments, point-of-sale, capital and business management software. From independent retailers and hospitality operators to large enterprises, Epos Now's customer-first approach ensures every business has access to intuitive, powerful technology tailored to real-world needs. As one of the UK's most successful fintech exports, Epos Now's continued global expansion is a testament to the world-class fintech and AI talent that Britain produces.

Charne Jones
Epos Now
charne.jones@eposnow.com

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