The average worker in Milton Keynes will be faced with an estimated £250 hike in National Insurance, as the Conservative Government plans to increase the financial burden on hard-working people from April.

The National Insurance rise, designed to cover the cost of social care, will see employees pay 1.25p more in the pound.

This means that the average MK worker on £33,420.40 will pay approximately £3,119.05 in National Insurance – an estimated increase of £256.81 compared to the year before.

Councillor Rob Middleton, Labour Progressive Alliance Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “This Conservative Government continues to let down the people of Milton Keynes, who are working incredibly hard for their money, only for it to be taken away.

“The Government has wasted billions on COVID fraud and faulty PPE, lied about partygate, misled the public, and is now putting the nail in the coffin with an extra £250 being taken away from each local worker. And, to add insult to injury, not a single penny of the £12bn raised through the National Insurance rise will come to the Council. This is despite the Council facing £6m in increased social care costs over the next year.”

This comes as a think tank reports that the National Insurance rise could cause destitution to increase by 30%, plunging even more families into poverty.

Councillor Jane Carr, Liberal Democrat Progressive Alliance Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequalities and Child Poverty, added: “This heartless National Insurance hike will mean that even more families have to choose between food, heating and debt. The number of people unable to buy basic household essentials could increase by a third; one million families could be left hungry, cold and helpless.

“The Progressive Alliance is doing what we can to help local families in need, by launching the Summer of Play, and opening new community food larders, but we need more help from Central Government. The Tories must take responsibility for their actions, and ensure that their brutal National Insurance hike doesn’t leave even more families’ lives in tatters.”