Is the reaction to national insurance hikes justified?
The Independent|November 02, 2024
It should probably come as no surprise that what the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, once described as “a tax on jobs” has turned out to be... a tax on jobs.
SEAN O'GRADY
Is the reaction to national insurance hikes justified?

Her decision in the Budget to raise up to £25bn from an increase in employers’ national insurance contributions (NICs) has obviously proved controversial.

A heated but largely inconclusive debate has surrounded the question of whether the move violates Labour’s manifesto promise not to raise taxes for “working people”. But now the change is coming under sustained attack from a number of sectors with tight profit margins, where the employment of lower-paid and/or part-time workers means an immediately higher tax bill for the employers.

In particular, the “secondary threshold” – the level at which employers become liable to pay national insurance on each employee’s salary – will come down from £9,100 per year to £5,000 per year. This is presenting notable difficulties in the health sector...

Who is complaining?

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FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE INDEPENDENTSe alt
Tuchel left with big calls to make after Carsley refresh
The Independent

Tuchel left with big calls to make after Carsley refresh

No pressure, Thomas. Lee Carsley hands over to Thomas Tuchel promising to give England’s next manager a comprehensive debrief on the three autumn camps but perhaps also elevating expectations. Not so much with the results – promotion in the Nations League was anticipated for a team ranked fourth in the world and who reached the final of Euro 2024 – as with his assessment of England’s prospects for the time covered by Tuchel’s 18-month deal.

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3 mins  |
November 20, 2024
Wiegman calls up uncapped trio for injury-hit Lionesses
The Independent

Wiegman calls up uncapped trio for injury-hit Lionesses

England manager Sarina Wiegman is confident Laura Blindkilde-Brown and Ruby Mace can both make the most of their first senior call-ups to an injury-hit squad.

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3 mins  |
November 20, 2024
Wales promoted as Cullen double freezes out Iceland
The Independent

Wales promoted as Cullen double freezes out Iceland

Wales won Nations League promotion as Liam Cullen’s first two international goals helped them to a 4-1 victory over Iceland.

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2 mins  |
November 20, 2024
Retail bosses gifted excuse for when things go wrong
The Independent

Retail bosses gifted excuse for when things go wrong

It’s not just British farmers who are hacked off by the latest Budget some of the biggest names in retail have now joined forces to send one of those angry, multi-signature letters to the chancellor, scolding her for the imminent tax hikes coming their way.

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3 mins  |
November 20, 2024
Jaguar pounces on new logo
The Independent

Jaguar pounces on new logo

Car giant Jaguar has unveiled a new logo and a rebranded range of electric cars alongside marketing slogans such as “delete ordinary,” “live vivid,” and “copy nothing.”

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1 min  |
November 20, 2024
OF UNSOUND MIND
The Independent

OF UNSOUND MIND

A disquieting mood permeates the BBC's 'The Listeners', the complex story of a teacher whose life unravels after she starts hearing a ceaseless, mysterious hum, writes Nick Hilton

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3 mins  |
November 20, 2024
It's grit over gloss in photo show's eye on the Eighties
The Independent

It's grit over gloss in photo show's eye on the Eighties

Protest, poverty and privilege - The 80s: Photographing Britain at Tate Britain offers an exciting, if partial, view of a decade that remains highly polarising, writes Mark Hudson

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5 mins  |
November 20, 2024
Publicly-owned rail may not get us back on right track
The Independent

Publicly-owned rail may not get us back on right track

Nationalisation is often touted as a golden ticket to a better train service. Simon Calder is less optimistic it will work

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3 mins  |
November 20, 2024
CAFFEINE FIX
The Independent

CAFFEINE FIX

Why does a squirt of syrup in your coffee at Christmas burn such a massive hole in your wallet? Olivia Petter finds out.

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4 mins  |
November 20, 2024
Longing and loss: our era of British cinematic elegance
The Independent

Longing and loss: our era of British cinematic elegance

It is four decades since A Room with a View’ made Merchant Ivory a household name. Sarah Sands recalls a world in which her brother Kit and her then husband Julian were central

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5 mins  |
November 20, 2024