Overview
- Dividend tax rates will rise by two percentage points from April 2026 and income tax and National Insurance thresholds stay frozen until 2030–31, increasing the effective burden on many owner‑managers.
- The national minimum wage increases next April to £12.71 for over‑21s, £10.85 for 18–20s and £8 for 16–17s, intensifying pressures on labour‑intensive sectors.
- Permanent lower business rates cover roughly 750,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties, while premises with rateable values of £500,000 or more face up to a 10p higher rate.
- Apprenticeships for under‑25s at SMEs become free, backed by £820 million for a Youth Employment Guarantee offering paid placements to young people out of work long term.
- Compliance and cost measures tighten as HMRC adds 350 criminal investigators, capital allowances are cut, and new NI charges hit salary‑sacrifice pensions, prompting warnings of price rises, job cuts and weaker investment.