Commenting on reports of pubs receiving additional support to manage increased levels of business rates, Henry Gregg, Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association said:
"Pharmacies have recently seen a 140 per cent increase in their business rates, despite receiving the vast majority of their income from the NHS.
"Any relief or additional support that is being offered to pubs should be extended to community pharmacy premises, who cannot increase their prices to manage these costs, unlike an ordinary high street business.
"We're urging the government to exempt pharmacy businesses from business rates altogether, in the same way as GPs are.
"Despite a recent uplift, pharmacies still face a yawning £2.6 billion funding gap, with pharmacies closing in record numbers and those still open going to extraordinary and unsustainable lengths to do so."
