The House of Commons voted against amendments that would have exempted pharmacies from next month’s hike in employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) during a debate today (March 19).
A majority of 307 MPs voted against the amendment, with 182 voting in favour.
The new government’s first budget in October saw Chancellor Rachel Reeves announce that employer National Insurance contributions would rise in April 2025 by “1.2 percentage points” to 15%, while the threshold at which employers start paying this will reduce from £9,100 per year to £5,000.
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