A leading business organisation has fired a warning at the start of the new tax year about the "raft of changes" putting UK companies under increased financial pressure.

The British Chambers of Commerce said the Apprenticeship Levy, Immigration Skills Charge, a new National Living Wage, and pensions auto-enrolment were all adding to the strain.

Suren Thiru, head of economics at the BCC, said: "We enter a new tax year with a raft of changes adding to the upfront cost of doing business.

"While corporation tax is decreasing, companies are more concerned about the escalating burden of input costs which hit firms before they even turn over a single pound.

"Companies of all sizes will now see the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, Immigration Skills Charge, a new National Living Wage, and pensions auto-enrolment.

"Such costs are likely to cause many firms to implement cost reduction measures and weigh down on firms' ability to invest, recruit and grow their business.

"The Government must do more to ease the upfront burden on businesses, and allow them to get on and invest, train their staff, and trade all over the world."

What do you think? Email mark@moosemarketingandpr.co.uk 

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Readers' comments:

Brian Crowe: What about the increase in Valuations, which results in tremendous increases in a tax payable to the local authorities for which business derives no obvious benefit?

Mike Lawrence: A certain amount of 'never mind the quality, feel the width' here.

"Companies of all sizes will now see the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy, Immigration Skills Charge, a new National Living Wage, and pensions auto-enrolment."

The Apprenticeship Levy is only payable by those with a payroll in excess of £3million (Less than two per cent of businesses?)

The Immigration Skills Charge is only payable where you sponsor a worker from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) (So most businesses are not affected)

The National Minimum Wage and the pension auto-enrolment may well be items which influence your vote when it comes up. That is your right.