Cross-party MPs have criticised the government’s decision not to exempt charities from employers’ national insurance contribution (NICs) rises and urged it to “give them their money back”.

In October, chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that employers’ NICs would increase to 15% from April while the threshold above which the tax applies would be reduced from £9,100 to £5,000.

Following the budget, umbrella body NCVO estimated that employers’ NICs increases would create an annual additional bill of £1.4bn for charities but Reeves ruled out an exemption in her response to the sector’s concerns.

Yesterday, in a debate secured by Conservative politician Joe Robertson, MPs discussed the impact of changes to employers’ NICs on the charity sector, with one warning that charities “could well disappear”.

MPs warned about the knock-on effect on public services and particularly the NHS of charities potentially withdrawing from public contracts.

Daisy Cooper, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, said the NICs rises are “unnecessary when alternative tax-raising avenues are available”.

She said: “It’s self-defeating, because in many cases it will put more pressure on the NHS, and it’s fundamentally unfair. It will hit charities that are supporting some of the most vulnerable in our society. 

“Those charities are the glue that holds our societies together and, unfortunately, we’re going to see their services slashed.”

Citing the work of children’s hospice charities Shooting Star and Demelza, Conservative MP Roger Gale said it is “absolutely ludicrous that money given for charitable purposes should effectively be siphoned off to the Treasury”.

Meanwhile, Democratic Unionist Party MP Jim Shannon said the tax rises could be “the straw that breaks the camel’s back, and that charities could well disappear”.

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 Someone with a job becomes homeless the equivalent of every 10 minutes, according to analysis from The Salvation Army 

More than 50,000 workers in the UK will be homeless this Christmas, according to analysis from The Salvation Army, with the charity warning that the stat “shatters the assumption” that a job is enough to escape homelessness.

The Salvation Army found 56,242 workers in the UK were registered as homeless across the four UK nations between April 2023 and March 2024 after analysing government figures.

A total of 32,138 homeless workers were working full-time and 24,104 working part-time.

People working full-time or part-time made up nearly a quarter of everyone registered as homeless during the period.

The Salvation Army said the figure is likely to be an underestimate as only the employment status of the main applicant of every household is logged by councils while not everyone experiencing homelessness will contact their local authority for support.

The charity’s director of homelessness services Nick Redmore said: “Someone with a job becomes homeless the equivalent of every 10 minutes. The person delivering your Christmas shopping, making your gingerbread latte, or cleaning up after your office Christmas party may not have a proper home to go to when they clock off.

“Our findings shatter the assumption that all anyone who is homeless needs to do is just get a job. Sky-high rents and mortgage rates combined with the rising cost of living, plus long waiting lists for council housing, mean a salary doesn’t guarantee a home. 

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David Smith MP has today been appointed as the new UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). He will take up the appointment in the New Year.

As Envoy, David will champion FoRB for all overseas, promoting tolerance and mutual respect through and alongside the UK’s global diplomatic network and engagements in multilateral fora. David will represent the UK in international discussions on FoRB, working closely with other special envoys, experts and civil society partners. This work supports the UK’s wider human rights efforts, underpinning our belief that human rights are universal.

David’s appointment underlines the UK’s ongoing commitment to freedom of religion or belief for all.

Minister for Human Rights, Lord Collins of Highbury said:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. There is, however, still much to be done to ensure this right is upheld around the world.
David’s appointment is a clear signal of the value placed by the UK on championing freedom of religion or belief for all around the world. No one should live in fear because of what they do, or do not, believe in.

David brings a wealth of relevant experience to the role from his work in the charity sector and faith based organisations. He has spent much of his career working in the UK and overseas to promote fairness, egalitarianism, compassion and the empowerment of the vulnerable.

David Smith MP said:

I am delighted to be appointed as the Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief.
From sub-Saharan Africa to the Middle East and Asia,  I have personally worked with those of different faiths who face religious persecution, and so these are issues that I care passionately about.
I look forward to taking forward the Government’s commitment to supporting freedom of religion or belief for all.

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