Steve Darling MP and the Liberal Democrats have secured a vote in Parliament today (Tuesday 17 December) to protect GPs, hospices and other health and social care providers from the Government’s National Insurance Contribution (NIC) tax hike.
The Liberal Democrat amendment to the Government’s National Insurance Contributions Bill would exempt health and care providers in Torbay, including GPs, dentists, and pharmacies from the planned tax hikes.
The Lib Dem amendment would also protect social care providers, hospices and charitable providers of health and care, from the tax rise.
Since the budget announcement, Steve has had a number of GP surgeries and social care providers write to him to describe the devastating impact the NIC rises could have on them.
300,000 people a year are treated in hospices in the UK, but only a third of their funding comes from the government, with charities providing the rest. Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey previously warned Keir Starmer at PMQs not to go ahead with a tax hit on the sector.
Previous research by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that the tax hike could end up costing GP surgeries the equivalent of more than two million appointments a year because of an additional £125.5 million tax bill inflicted upon them.
Steve, said: “I’ve heard from a number of GPs surgeries in Torbay who are really worried about the impact of the government’s tax hikes on the level of care they provide. Ultimately it’s local patients who will pay the price for this self-defeating tax rise.
“That’s why I’m backing this Liberal Democrat amendment to protect local GPs, dentists and other health and care providers from the government’s tax hike.
“The government must focus on fixing local health services, not burdening GPs and care providers with even higher costs. As your MP, I will keep fighting for our local health and care services.”
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