9 November 2026

Last week the Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, introduced the Visitor Levy (England) Bill to Parliament.

Whilst British Marine remains opposed to the general principle of tourism taxes, we welcome the fact that this Bill has not swayed away from our argument that visitor levies should not apply to boats unless they are permanently located in one place for the purpose of providing commercial let accommodation, such ABNB vessels or floating lodges. This follows our response to the Government’s consultation earlier this year – see our Public Affairs page (under consultations) and the strong arguments that we mounted three years ago in Scotland that forced the SNP Government to remove ‘berths and moorings from own legislation.   

Our Public Affairs lead will continue to carefully monitor the Bill as it progresses through Parliament but, as it currently reads, the Bill appears clear that only vessels that are  permanently situated in one location could come in scope.  Crucially this Bill provides the national framework for local visitor levies in England.  However, it also provides discretionary powers to mayoral and other strategic authorities to be able to introduce levies and to introduce their own additional exemptions.  Those discretionary powers must not be allowed to extend to scope of the levy.  

With this in mind British Marine's Chief Executive, Earle Stanner has written to the Minister seeking further assurance that the nationally defined scope of the levy, which rules out the majority of vessels as explained above, will continue to be respected.