Last ditch attempt to exempt health and care providers from “health tax”

The government’s jobs tax is set to come into effect on 6th April but Victoria Collins, MP for Harpenden & Berkhamsted, has backed a Liberal Democrat move to exempt health and care providers - such as GPs, dentists, and hospices - before it becomes law. 

Sadly, the Labour government once again blocked it.

The Liberal Democrats have been leading the fight against this “health tax”. Daisy Cooper MP, the party’s Treasury spokesperson, originally tabled an amendment to the National Insurance Contributions (Secondary Class 1 Contributions) Bill to exempt all health and care providers from the NICs rise in the Commons. 

Although voted down by the government, it was then reintroduced by Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords and was backed by a majority.

On 19 March, when Lib Dems pushed it to another vote, the government tried to block it again. As a result, health and care providers already under immense strain will suffer.

During the debate Victoria Collins, MP for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, said:

“There are many similar examples, but Quantum Care in Hertfordshire, a not-for-profit social care business, says that its costs will rise by £1.7 million in national insurance contributions alone, which will also have an impact on council and social services. That is certainly not solving our health and social care problem.”

After the vote, Victoria added:

“I was glad to back our Liberal Democrat amendment to protect health and care providers from the government’s health tax, but I’m dismayed that Labour MPs blocked our efforts.

“I know Harpenden and Berkhamsted residents are already worried about struggling to access care - this tax will be a blow to our GPs, care providers, hospices and dentists that’ll only worsen these concerns.

“It’s shameful that past Conservative governments let our providers reach this crisis point, and now, the Labour government has tossed aside the opportunity to save them from added pressures.

“I’ll keep doing all I can to push them to rethink this, and to defend our fantastic health and care providers.”

Yesterday’s vote continued Victoria’s hard-fought campaign against this “health tax” including by highlighting the pressures it’ll add for local health and care providers like Quantum Care, the Hospice of St Francis (in Berkhamsted), and the Elms Medical Practice (in Harpenden).