Trade Associations

The latest news and updates on trade associations, from the business journalists at Catering Today. We bring you the latest on what’s happening in the restaurants, bars and catering industry, with exclusive stories, analysis, best practice and industry comment.

Jun- 2025 -

16 June

UKH secures govt commitment to explore changes to EPR scheme

UKHospitality has secured a commitment from the government to explore changes to the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, following concerns that the current rules unfairly penalise hospitality businesses. The trade body said some venues are being charged twice for recycling due to regulations that classify certain packaging used in hospitality,…
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11 June

UKH calls for NIC rethink as 100,000 jobs lost in May

UKHospitality has called for the increase in employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) to be reconsidered, as new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) indicate that more than 100,000 jobs were lost in May as a direct result. The Labour Market Overview, which was published today (11 June), estimates…
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9 June

Kate Nicholls appointed as UKHospitality chair

UKHospitality has announced that current CEO Kate Nicholls OBE is to step up to the new role of chair, while current deputy CEO Allen Simpson will transition to CEO. At the same time, current non-executive chairman, Steve Cassidy, will move to become president. The move will enable Nicholls and Simpson…
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2 June

One third of hospitality operates at a loss, survey finds

One third of hospitality businesses are currently operating at a loss, representing an 11% increase on the last quarter, according to the latest survey undertaken by UKH, the British Institute of Innkeeping, the British Beer and Pub Association, and Hospitality Ulster. UKHospitality, along with a number of trade associations, have…
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May- 2025 -

7 May

UKH rolls out hospitality training programmes across England

UKHospitality, in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), has announced the launch of hospitality Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) in 26 areas across England. The new programme trains jobseekers with hospitality skills in a working environment and provides them with both work experience and a guaranteed interview…
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Apr- 2025 -

14 April

NTIA pens open letter calling for alfresco dining support

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has issued an urgent open letter to the chief executives and leaders of all London boroughs calling for support for alfresco dining and nightlife revival. This call comes in alignment with Deputy Mayors Howard Dawber and Justine Simons, who have written to boroughs encouraging…
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Mar- 2025 -

25 March

Hospitality Action reports record-breaking year of support in 2024

As Hospitality Action marks the fifth anniversary of its first COVID grant, the charity reports that it has seen a “lasting rise in demand for support”, making 2024 its “most challenging year yet”. According to its latest Impact Report, a surge in grant applications last year was driven by mounting…
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17 March

CareerScope hub launch to offer lifeline to staff facing closures

Five trade bodies – the Institute of Hospitality, Hospitality Action, the Savoy Education Trust, Springboard and UKH – have officially launched the CareerScope Hospitality Support Hub to help people who have lost their jobs or their businesses due to the number of closures in the sector. The new resource hub…
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Jan- 2025 -

30 January

Growth plan must include foundation economy, UKH says

UKHospitality has urged the chancellor to bring forward a specific growth plan for hospitality, and other sectors in the foundation economy, that can deliver growth “swiftly”. While the trade body agreed that big infrastructure projects are much-needed, it also pointed out that their benefits won’t be realised “for years or…
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21 January

A fifth of hospitality staff to enter new employer NICs threshold

More than 774,000 hospitality workers, representing a fifth of the industry’s workforce, are set to enter into the new employer NICs threshold for the first time, according to new analysis from UKH. The trade body warns that the changes to employer National Insurance Contributions will hit hospitality hardest due to…
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