How can SMEs cut the cost of rising National Insurance?

SMEs are missing out on £2.7 billion in employer National Insurance savings

April's employer national insurance contribution increase has added pressure to the already stretched SME budgets. Many businesses have delayed salary increases, frozen hiring, or passed rising costs onto customers. But there are smarter, more sustainable ways to manage those pressures, and too many businesses are missing them.

To understand the full impact, Howden Employee Benefits commissioned independent research from YouGov, surveying 523 SME decision-makers across the UK.

What's in the report?

• Independent insight from across the SME landscape. This report is based on new YouGov research commissioned by Howden. Its responses come from a representative sample of 523 SMEs, from micro to mid-sized businesses across the UK.
• How rising National Insurance costs are reshaping employer decisions. The report explores how rising employment costs affect day-to-day business decisions, from delayed pay rises to postponed recruitment and investment.
• Why SMEs are missing out on National Insurance savings through salary exchange. Salary exchange remains among the most effective and underused tools for reducing National Insurance costs. The report explores why awareness is low and what employers can do about it. 
• What actions can SMEs take to cut National Insurance bills? Find out what other businesses are doing in response to cost pressures, and how your organisation could apply the same strategies to save money and strengthen your employee offering.