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11 Jun 2025

A new academic study has found that overzealous pro-cycling campaigners on social media may be inadvertently damaging the case for better cycling infrastructure across the UK.

11 Jun 2025

Bira has welcomed the Welsh Government's consultation on business rate reforms for retail shops, whilst calling for significant improvements to ensure the proposals truly support high street...

10 Jun 2025

Bike thefts across England and Wales have continued their steady decline, according to new data released by cycle insurance specialist Bikmo.

9 Jun 2025

Retailers on Britain's high streets are being encouraged to put themselves forward for the first-ever Love Your High Street Awards, designed to celebrate the small businesses that bring...

9 Jun 2025

 To coincide with Bike Week (9-15 June) – the UK’s annual celebration of cycling – new research has revealed a clear shift amongst Gen Z and Millennials in their approach...

6 Jun 2025

Independent retailers are facing a "generational" transformation of employment law that could fundamentally change how small businesses operate, according to the final episode of Bira's first...

3 Jun 2025

The judges for the BikeBiz Awards 2025, in association with Bikedesk, have been officially announced, with ACT Director Jonathan Harrison among the leading voices from all corners of the cycling...

29 May 2025

The Bicycle Association (BA) has launched a new Action Plan calling for urgent Government action to address the number of fires caused by unsafe e-bike batteries, with a focus on closing legal...

29 May 2025

The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) has launched the first-ever Sporting Goods Physical Activity Impact Report, highlighting the growing global physical inactivity crisis...

27 May 2025

Greater Manchester has rolled out 300 new e-bikes as part of its expanding bike hire scheme in a major step towards achieving its goal of one million additional sustainable journeys every day by...

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National Insurance to increase through a health and social care levy

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News , Creative News, Outdoor News, Political News

The ParliamentPrime Minister has announced a new tax in the form of a Health and Social Care Levy.

From 1st April 2022, employer NICs will increase by 1.25 percentage points. Employee NICs will also increase by 1.25 percentage points, including for workers above state pension age.

It was also announced that self-employed Class 4 NICs will also increase - paid on annual profits beyond £9,569 and company dividend payments will rise from 7.5% to 8.75%.

The tax rise will raise £12bn, ringfenced to fund investment in health and social care. The investment will be spent on the following:

  • Tackling NHS Covid backlogs and cut waiting times with new £36 billion investment for health and social care
  • Responsible, fair, and necessary action taken to provide biggest catch-up programme in the history of the NHS and reform the adult social care system
  • NHS capacity to increase to 110% of planned activity levels by 2023/24, offering more appointments, treatments, and operations
  • Social care reform plan will end catastrophic costs for people across the country, and include extra investment in care sector to improve training and support
  • Funded by a new Health and Social Care Levy on working adults and an equivalent rise in the rates of dividend tax to make sure everyone pays their fair share
More information about the investment can be found here.


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