Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to paragraph 2.40 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, what discussions he has had with health and care charities on the potential impact of increased National Insurance contributions on their ability to (a) support and (b) provide NHS care.

No discussions have taken place with health and care charities on the potential impact of increased National Insurance contributions on their ability to support and provide National Health Service care.

To repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance. On the impact on charities in particular, our tax regime for charities, including exemption from paying business rates, is among the most generous of anywhere in the world, with tax reliefs for charities and their donors worth just over £6 billion for the tax year to April 2024.