Martin Lewis’s instant budget reaction – National Insurance, minimum wage and stamp duty
Increase on National Insurance cost to employers
The Chancellor announced that the rate of employers’ national insurance (NI) will rise by 1.2 percentage points, from 13.8% to 15% from April next year and the secondary threshold – meaning the level at which employers start paying the tax on each employee’s salary – will also be reduced from £9,100 a year to £5,000.
The Money Saving Expert said: ‘That is a big hit to many employers, although smaller employers will see an increase in the allowance they get so they now won’t have to pay National Insurance on their first £10,500 a year, which will save many smaller employers.
‘Currently, you start paying as an employer National Insurance at £9,100. If you drop that to £5,000 at a 15% rate, just on that difference alone that’s £615 more a year per employee.
‘Something is going …