Social care tax rise: NI MPs vote against tax hike

Northern Ireland will receive £400m to spend by 2024/25

Northern Ireland MPs have voted against Number 10's plans to introduce a new health and social care tax across the UK.

But the government won Wednesday's vote in the Commons by 319 to 248.

The tax will begin as a 1.25 percentage point rise in National Insurance (NI) from April 2022, becoming a separate tax in 2023.

Five Democratic Unionist Party MPs voted against it, along with the SDLP's two MPs and Alliance MP Stephen Farry.

Three DUP MPs - Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Gregory Campbell and Gavin Robinson - did not have a vote recorded.

The tax will be focused on funding health and social care in England

Current Commons rules require MPs to attend Parliamentary votes in person, with virtual hybrid mechanisms ending when England's lockdown eased in July.

The UK-wide tax will be focused on funding health and social care in England, but Northern Ireland will also receive an extra £400m for Northern Ireland to spend by 2024/25.

• MPs approve NHS and social care tax rise

• Social care changes at-a-glance

• NI political parties criticise PM's new tax plans

Stormont is already set to receive an extra £180m of funding this year as a result of increased health spending announced for England.

From 2023, the increase in National Insurance will become a separate levy, while the National Insurance rates will return to their previous level.

All the main Stormont parties had already criticised the government's proposal, arguing it was regressive and inequitable.