FSB Northern Ireland has today launched its ‘Back to Business’ General Election Manifesto, which contains a suite of proposals to help businesses and self-employed people right across the UK, in tandem with targeted action to improve the business climate in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland’s largest business organisation is also calling on the Government to reduce the burden of Employer’s National Insurance Contributions, which effectively serve as a ‘jobs tax’, by uprating the Employment Allowance. Doing so would support employment and ensure that no small business employing up to four people on the National Living Wage would pay Employer’s NICs.
Elsewhere, FSB is reiterating the need to implement the measures it has previously secured which are aimed at ending a £2.5 billion late payment crisis that destroys 50,000 businesses a year. They include:
- Swift appointment of a new Small Business Commissioner with the powers to implement a reformed and impactful Prompt Payment Code;
- Creation of audit committees with explicit responsibility for supply chains at big corporations; and
- Total exclusion of late payers from all public procurement processes.
FSB NI Policy Chair, Tina McKenzie said:
“For the last three years, the Brexit saga has captured the attention of policymakers, with not enough focus given to the issues which affect the day to day running of businesses.
“We are urging all candidates standing at this election to get ‘Back to Business’ and listen to small firms who provide a service and create jobs in every constituency both here in Northern Ireland and right across the UK.
“Prospective candidates should keep in mind that a typical constituency hosts many thousands of small businesses and self-employed sole traders – and we’re encouraging them to get out and make their voices heard on 12 December.”
Self-employed people are often at the back of the queue when it comes to receiving help from Government. With confidence among the self-employed hitting a fresh low last quarter, FSB is urging policymakers to focus attention on how to help the UK’s self-employed population, including by:
- Introducing a ‘legislative lock’ for the self-employed, ensuring that any measure brought forward to help employees is accompanied by a corresponding action to help self-employed people;
- Bringing the maternity allowance for self-employed mothers in-line with statutory maternity pay and introducing paternity and adoption allowances for sole traders; and
- Delaying changes to IR35, or ‘off-payroll working’, rules set to take effect in April 2020; and making Universal Credit work for the self-employed, including by reform to the Minimum Income Floor to reflect the reality that many self-employed people do not get paid on a regular monthly basis.
With a significant lack of action to improve the business climate in Northern Ireland in recent years, FSB is calling for the UK Government to work with Northern Ireland political parties and key stakeholders to improve the environment in which small businesses operate. High on the agenda is connectivity of people and place but there are other policies that could also easily drive improvement. Areas where action is urgently required include:
- Upgrading the road network, with projects such as the York Street Interchange and the A5 Western Transport Corridor;
- Improving fixed broadband speeds and 4G mobile phone coverage;
- Enabling parental choice through properly investing in childcare;
- Helping the high street by enhancing rates relief and providing access to the Stronger Towns and High Streets Fund; and
- Developing skills via NI access to the Apprenticeship Fund.
Tina McKenzie added:
“While we continue to urge the UK Government to do all it can to facilitate the restoration of devolved government and encourage all parties to stretch themselves to make that happen, there are issues affecting the business environment which can’t be allowed to go unaddressed any longer.
“That is why in this manifesto we are calling for the UK Government to engage with the Northern Ireland parties and stakeholders to find consensus on issues such as rates and high streets; infrastructure; skills and connectivity. It is simply unfair for businesses and communities in Northern Ireland to continue to be left behind while progress is made for their counterparts elsewhere.
“In this manifesto, we ask parties and candidates to get ‘Back to Business’, not despite Brexit but because of it. If we are to leave the European Union it is vital that the transition period is long enough to allow small businesses to plan for what comes next. An adequate transition period should also give the new UK-EU Joint Committee sufficient time to ensure the new Northern Ireland trading arrangements do not create additional burdens for small businesses and that they enable unfettered access to both the UK and EU markets.”
Notes to editor
A copy of the manifesto is available on request via the contact details below.
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As experts in business, FSB offers members a wide range of vital business services, including advice, financial expertise, support and a powerful voice in Government. Its aim is to help smaller businesses achieve their ambitions.