Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage firms to continue to hire employees, following the changes announced in the Autumn Statement 2024.

The Government has protected the smallest businesses from these changes by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that next year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change. It means employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage without paying any employer National Insurance contributions (NICs).

Businesses will still be able to claim employer NICs reliefs including those for under-21s and under-25 apprentices.

Achieving economic growth is vital. That’s why the growth mission is the central mission of the government. Through the growth mission, the Government is ensuring economic stability, increasing investment and reforming the economy. As laid out in the Plan for Change, the Government’s goal is to deliver higher living standards for people in every part of the United Kingdom and to build 1.5 million houses by the end of the Parliament.