The number of temporary employees in the UK increased by 9.16% on a seasonally adjusted basis to a total of approximately 1.71 million for the three-month period from October 2021 through December 2021 when compared to the same period a year ago, according to the Office for National Statistics.When compared to the previous three-month period ended November 2021, the number of temporary employees saw an uptick of 1.88%Temporary workers are self-identified when surveyed by the ONS, and … [Read more...]
Job adverts at a new record high
The number of job vacancies is currently at a new record high, indicating that the labour market is still yet to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.Between 4th-10th October there were a record 2.29 million job adverts available in the UK. In the same week, there were around 235,000 new job postings – the second-highest weekly figure since data began.Wales is currently a hotspot for hiring, with four out of the UK’s top 10 most active cities for new jobs. Swansea in particular saw … [Read more...]
Could IR35 be responsible for the UK’s HGV driver shortage?
Food shortages, petrol crisis, the last few months in the UK have been challenging for a number of Brits. A lot of the recent issues are down to a shortage of HGV drivers. It’s estimated that Britain needs an additional 100,000 drivers to ease pressures.The COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit are being blamed for the shortage of drivers. However, new research from the Road Haulage Association (RHA) reveals that recent tax changes could partly be to blame.For those that aren’t familiar with it, … [Read more...]
Could the National Living Wage be going up?
It’s the Conservative Party Conference this week, and Boris Johnson has raised speculation that the National Living Wage could be set for an increase.It seems his goal is to move the country “towards a high wage, high skill, high productivity economy”. They could potentially be just a few weeks away from signing-off on this rise.Under the new measures, earners over the age of 23 could receive around £9.42 an hour. This would come into effect from the start of the new tax year, April … [Read more...]
PM announces rise in National Insurance tax
Boris Johnson has announced a UK-wide “health and social care levy” to support reforms of the care sector and NHS funding in England. The new scheme will start as a 1.25% rise in National Insurance from April 2022. However, then become a separate tax on earned income from April 2023.The plan was today signed off by ministers at a cabinet meeting, despite earlier disputes from Tory MPs.The PM has said the aim is to raise a total of £36 billion over the next few years for frontline … [Read more...]
Calls for Universal Credit uplift to be made permanent
Ministers from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have called the UK Government to make the Universal Credit uplift a permanent change.As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government introduced a £20 per week uplift to support low income families. However, this scheme is now set to be scrapped as of October. There are growing concerns about the impact this will have on poverty and the hardship families will face.Research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (a charity which … [Read more...]
Booming gig economy is bad for UK public finances, says TUC
Low-paid self-employment and zero-hours contracts are costing more than £75m a week in lost taxes and national insurance contributions, new research indicates.The rapid rise in insecure work in the UK is costing the government almost £4bn a year in lost tax income and benefit payouts, according to new research into the gig economy by the Trades Union Congress.The UK’s growing legions of low-paid, self-employed workers and those on zero-hours contracts earn significantly less than regular … [Read more...]