FSB urges firms to 'say no' to National Insurance rises

Date: 3rd March 2010

Small business in the UK should take a stand and "say no" to government plans to increase National Insurance contributions (NICs), one industry body has claimed.

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has joined forces with a number of other organisations to voice concerns about how the proposed increases will affect Britain's businesses.

According to the FSB, increasing NICs by just one per cent could mean job losses of around 57,000.

As a result the organisation has urged small firms to sign a petition to get the government to freeze the current level of NICs.

John Wright, national chairman of the FSB, said: "This petition - calling for no rise in NICs - will tell [the] government that real action needs to be taken to really help tackle unemployment.

"The rise in National Insurance is a tax on jobs and will cost the country in thousands of jobs, as well as prevent small firms from taking on more members of staff at this crucial time in the country's economic recovery."