Lush and Kwik Fit warn tax rise will push up prices
Cosmetics company Lush and car repair chain Kwik Fit are among firms which have warned they will raise prices due an increase in employers’ National Insurance (NI).
Other firms have told the BBC they will reduce how much profit they make, freeze hiring or in some cases cut jobs to cover the higher costs.
From Sunday, employers will have to pay NI at 15% on salaries above £5,000, instead of 13.8% on salaries above £9,100 currently.
The Treasury said the billions raised will be spent on public services, including the NHS.
Lush told the BBC that with 3,600 employees in the UK and Ireland, it would have to find an extra £2.7m per year.
Source: BBC