Police force 'faces £4.2m bill' over NI hike

West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion claimed it was "baffling" that the criminal justice system was not included in the Budget

A police force will be hit with a £4.2m National Insurance (NI) bill due to tax rises announced in the Autumn Budget, a police and crime commissioner (PCC) said.

West Mercia's Conservative PCC John Campion claimed uncertainty created by Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeve's budget would mean taxpayers end up paying more to the force in the coming years.

The chancellor raised taxes by £40bn on Wednesday which included an increase in NI contributions for employers from April.

Reeves said the budget was "restoring stability to our public finances and rebuilding our public services".

In a statement released following the announcement in Parliament, Mr Campion said it was "baffling" that the criminal justice system did not feature in the Budget on Wednesday.

Rachel Reeves announced her first Budget as chancellor in Parliament on Wednesday

"I was looking to the announcement to give certainty on police funding as I focus on delivering my new police and crime plan and start to look at West Mercia Police’s budget for the next financial year," he said.

“There is no doubt that this uncertainty will mean higher council tax rises, paid by hard working people across West Mercia and more police officers taken from the front line keeping us safe."

Mr Campion said the NI increase would affect the police force financially.

“I urge the chancellor to clearly set out how she proposes to fund the rise in employers’ National Insurance that will affect policing and make the investment in our courts service to reduce the backlogs," he said.

During her speech on Wednesday, the chancellor said she had taken the "responsible choices to restore stability to our country, to protect working people".

"More teachers in our schools, more appointments in our NHS, more homes being built, fixing the foundations of our economy, investing in our future, delivering change, rebuilding Britain," Reeves added.