Reductions in National Insurance announced by the Chancellor will be welcomed by local residents, Staffordshire County Council’s leader has said.
The measure was among the announcements unveiled by Jeremy Hunt today (6th March).
It will mean a reduction of 2p in the pound for employees and self-employed workers.
Cllr Alan White, leader of the county council, said the move would support local residents who have been hit by rising bills in recent years.
“The further reduction in National Insurance contributions will be welcome news to our residents in helping them to meet daily cost of living challenges by putting more money in their pocket.
“This will make a difference in Staffordshire where we continue to see long-term low unemployment as well as generating job vacancies across a range of sectors.
“We’re pleased to see measures to support people most in need extended and an increased threshold for childcare support.
“We have some outstanding small businesses in Staffordshire with a higher than national average start-up survival rate so welcome support such as the VAT payments change and freeze on fuel duty.”
Cllr Alan White
Cllr White said there were still areas where the authority would push for further support.
“The Chancellor announced a new public sector productivity plan, which we’ll carefully study the detail on when available. In the meantime, we will continue to make our case to Government for increased funding in vital areas like social care and highways.”
Cllr Alan White
Any NICs benefit is likely to be at least counter-balanced by fiscal drag and the freezing of income tax thresholds. The VAT threshold increase of £5k on a starting point of £85k is less than inflation so a real terms decrease. Not increasing the tax burden still further by not putting up fuel duty is to be welcomed, I guess, but not raising a tax can hardly be claimed as a win!
It would appear Councillor White’s strengths do not include maths. Having filled out a budget calculator I will be worse off due to increases in income tax. If he really wanted to help us he would petition the government to properly fund councils so that council tax isn’t increased to the maximum while services are cut.
What does Mr White think about the 15% cut for non protected spending like local government, prisons and the like planned after the election through to 2029? I am sure that will help his pothole problem. How will adult social care be paid for while cutting local government spending by 15%?
Still Landlords get a 4% decrease in the CGT rate and the wealthy will be able to put away £25k a year into their ISA now.
Ken Clarke cut income tax by 1p in 1997. What happened next? The first 2% off NI did not improve the polls last year so we better have another heave it would seem.
Nine short blasts of the whistle followed by one long one comes to mind.
Mr White a reduction in NI does nothing for those over retirement age.
Fiscal drag pushes many retired into the tax system and that will include many living in the retirement complexes popping up round the town as well of us living in our own homes
Not a great budget. Few real beneficiaries, except for already high earners.
The country is in a bind. Already heavily in debt and bouncing along the bottom with growth. Most feel the impact of inflation and interest charges.
No short term fix for this.
Our economy is now haunted by poor management and decisions (HS2, PP garments and contracts etc.etc.) Our standing in the world is much diminished and probably demotes us from being a world leader.
Just like the roads, too many patch and temporary mend political expedients.
This budget is yet another of them.
The spring budget has left me poorer as it will millions of pensioners as we don’t pay NI.