JURY: What do you think of the increase in National Insurance contributions for the self-employed?

You can read their thoughts below but make sure you tell us what you think in the comments below.

Ed Glasson, secretary of the Bracknell Branch of Unite

Any Chancellor has to look for new sources of revenue which are likely to prove increasingly rewarding and the self-employed, unfortunately for them, are one such!

In recent times millions of people in what seemed like secure jobs have found themselves all too abruptly out in the cold and, with more than 90 per cent of the much vaunted new jobs created in the last few years, being minimum wage/unskilled/zero hours jobs, many have decided to become self-employed. 
Additionally, many unscrupulous companies have deemed those who work for them self-employed to cut their costs at their employees’ expense.
The change is, of course, unfair.

But it is, equally, unnecessary. Mr.Hammond could, and should, get the cash he needs from the super-rich.

The fact that he chooses not to tells us all we need to know about the current government.

Robert Ellison of Chapmans in Sunninghill

The current NI contribution for PAYE employees is set at 12 per cent.
The budget is to bring the self employed contribution to 11 per cent making it as they state fairer.

Which it is; as all employees regardless of status will gain equal benefits when required. However, when you take into account the fact that when self employed you don’t have the luxury of holiday pay, or sickness benefit indeed when you are self employed and ill you still have to turn up for work or you don’t get paid at all.

I will say though there is nothing like working for yourself.

If you do well and work hard you get the satisfaction of the profit going into your pocket and not your bosses and you only have to answer to yourself....or your wife.

Mark John. co-admin of the Facebook group: We Love Bracknell

For 9/10 self-employed people, if they wake up too sick to go to work or fancy a holiday, guess how much they get paid? Zilch.

So the question no one seems to be able to answer me is: why make them pay for something they’re not getting?

These ordinary women and men face enough stress paying their staff and bills already without worrying about where another chunk is coming from! And all this hike will do is raise a small fry amount from the Tories supposed ‘core voters’.

There’s a bigger picture here too. In this week where we trigger Article 50 we seriously should be encouraging more innovation and entrepreneurialism not scaring people into safe employment.