Reform UK's ambitious plan to introduce a two-tier Employer National Insurance system has ignited controversy over its potential impact on employment. The proposed overhaul would slash Employer National Insurance from 15% to 13.8% for British workers, but leave existing rates intact for non-British employees. Proponents of the scheme claim this targeted approach will incentivise businesses to favour homegrown talent and thus contribute to a shrinking welfare bill. However, critics warn that this policy fundamentally misreads the UK's labour market challenges.
Joanna Marchong, head of communications at the Adam Smith Institute, points out that rather than focusing on who fills jobs, policymakers should concentrate on creating more opportunities overall. "Cutting Employer National Insurance by a paltry 1.2 percentage points for British workers is not going to address the core issues preventing job creation," she stresses. The current economic climate, marked by businesses struggling under high costs and restrictive legislation, is identified as a primary obstacle to hiring.
The Employment Rights Act, existing jobs taxes, and equalisation of the minimum wage across age groups are cited as factors pricing younger workers out of entry-level positions and making companies hesitant to take on graduates. Critics argue that instead of creating a complex two-tier system for HMRC to manage, policymakers should adopt a more straightforward solution: slashing Employer National Insurance rates across the board for all workers.
This universal reduction would genuinely lower employment costs for businesses and potentially stimulate broader job growth. However, detractors argue that Reform UK's proposal misdiagnoses the public's primary concern. The real anxiety lies not in the nationality of those in employment but in the significant number of working-age individuals who are not working – a burden on taxpayers.
Tackling this issue is seen as the more pressing challenge for any government seeking to reduce unemployment and the welfare bill. Reform UK's policy has been described by critics as "backward step" that prioritises complex systems over practical solutions.