Britain helps pubs by raising 'draught relief' on beer

LONDON, March 15 (Reuters) - Britain's finance minister Jeremy Hunt offered extra help to pubs by reducing the tax paid on draught beers and ciders, resulting in the duty paid on a pint served in a bar undercutting the rate paid by supermarkets by up to 11 pence.

"In December, I extended the alcohol duty freeze until 1 August, after which duties will go up in line with inflation in the usual way," Hunt told parliament in his budget statement.

"But today, I will do something that was not possible when we were in the EU and significantly increase the generosity of Draught Relief, so that from 1 August the duty on draught products in pubs will be up to 11p lower than the duty in supermarkets, a differential we will maintain as part of a new Brexit pubs guarantee." (Reporting by David Milliken, Writing by Paul Sandle)