Boris Johnson says national insurance rise is ‘necessary and fair’ as tax increase comes into force

Boris Johnson has defended his manifesto-breaking national insurance tax hike as ‘necessary, fair and responsible’.

From today, national insurance contributions will increase by 1.25%, making the UK’s tax burden the highest it has been in seventy years.

The government has said the tax hike will raise £39 billion to help reduce the NHS backlog caused by Covid and to later reform adult social care for the long-term.

And despite his promise to not increase the rate of income tax, VAT or national insurance in his last manifesto, the Prime Minister has spoken out in defence of today’s tax increase.

Boris Johnson said, as per ITV News: “We must be there for our NHS in the same way that it is there for us.

“Covid led to the longest waiting lists we’ve ever seen, so we will deliver millions more scans, checks and operations in the biggest catch-up programme in the NHS’ history.

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“We know this won’t be a quick fix, and we know that we can’t fix waiting lists without fixing social care.

“Our reforms will end the cruel lottery of spiralling and unpredictable care costs once and for all and bring the NHS and social care closer together.

“The levy is the necessary, fair and responsible next step, providing our health and care system with the long term funding it needs as we recover from the pandemic.”

Health Secretary Sajid Javid also defended the move, saying the pandemic had placed ‘unprecedented pressure on the NHS’.

He said: “This investment will go into tackling those backlogs and will help make sure everyone can get the care and treatment they need.”

This tax increase comes just after the UK’s energy price cap rose by 54%, increasing the average annual household gas and electricity cost by around £693.