Como o setor de hospitalidade do Reino Unido luta para recuperar a estabilidade após alguns anos turbulentos, novos desafios estão tornando essa estrada ainda mais difícil. Salário. Prática, é tudo menos. Affetar desproporcionalmente bares, restaurantes, hotéis e cafés. A British Beer and Pub Association estima que o pub médio enfrentará 4.000 libras extras por ano apenas nas NICs. Alguns, como Dean Banks, Chef e anterior
The 2024 Autumn Budget introduced major changes to the tax landscape, and from April 2025, independent hospitality businesses are being hit with a double blow: a rise in National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and a significant increase in the National Living Wage.
These changes may be designed to boost public finances, but for small, service-based businesses already running on tight margins, they’re landing hard.
From April 6th, employer NICs increased from 13.8% to 15%, and the threshold at which employers begin contributing dropped from £9,100 to £5,000 annually.
This might seem incremental on paper, but in practice, it’s anything but.
Combined with a 6.7% rise in the National Living Wage now sitting at £12.21 per hour for workers aged 21 and over these changes are expected to cost the UK hospitality industry an additional £3.4 billion in 2025 alone.
Over 774,000 workers are now newly liable for employer NICs, a huge expansion of payroll cost burdens that will disproportionately affect pubs, restaurants, hotels, and cafés.
Industry leaders are already raising the alarm. The British Beer and Pub Association estimates that the average pub will face an extra £4,000 per year just in NICs.
For small operators, that’s often the difference between staying open or shutting the doors. Some, like Dean Banks, chef and former MasterChef Finalist - já fizeram o plugue de planos ambiciosos. Seu restaurante projetado de 200 lugares, uma vez no pipeline, agora foi descartado devido aos 100.000 libras em impostos adicionais sobre a folha de pagamento que teriam gerado. Esses aumentos de impostos estão mudando a maneira como as empresas pensam. A Wells & Co, um grupo de hospitalidade do Reino Unido, mudou recentemente sua estratégia de investimento no exterior, citando o ambiente tributário doméstico como uma das principais razões para se concentrar na expansão internacional em vez do crescimento local. Com os custos subindo os gastos rápidos e do consumidor permanecendo cautelosos, muitos operadores estão enfrentando decisões difíceis. Muitos estão simplesmente tentando permanecer à tona.
And it’s not just about hiring freezes or cancelled openings. These tax hikes are changing how businesses think. Wells & Co, a UK-based hospitality group, recently shifted its investment strategy abroad, citing the domestic tax environment as a key reason for focusing on international expansion instead of local growth.
The ripple effect is being felt throughout the sector. With costs rising fast and consumer spending staying cautious, many operators are facing tough decisions.
Some are increasing prices, while others are cutting staff hours or delaying upgrades. Many are simply trying to stay afloat.
Então, o que pode ser feito? Muitos operadores estão revisitando padrões de turno, funcionários de treinamento cruzado e usando períodos mais silenciosos para criar resiliência em suas operações. indústria. A hospitalidade nunca foi apenas sobre camas ou mesas, é sobre pessoas. É sobre comunidade, cuidado, conexão e criação de lugares onde são feitas memórias.
For independent businesses, now is the time to sharpen operations and rethink traditional models.
Efficiency has never been more critical. Many operators are revisiting shift patterns, cross-training staff, and using quieter periods to build resilience into their operations.
Others are looking to technology whether it’s smarter booking systems, energy management tools, or automated inventory tracking to reduce costs without compromising guest experience.
Together, We Stand
While the challenges are real, so too is the resilience of this industry. Hospitality has never just been about beds or tables it’s about people. It’s about community, care, connection, and creating places where memories are made.
Esse espírito não desaparece quando as coisas ficam difíceis. De fato, fica mais forte. Precisamos compartilhar conhecimentos, agrupar recursos, apoiar nossos fornecedores locais e defender nosso pessoal.
Now is the time to come together as owners, managers, chefs, front desk teams, and housekeepers. We need to share knowledge, pool resources, support our local suppliers, and champion our people.
Ninguém pode fazer isso sozinho, mas juntos, somos uma força. Mas eles também estão nos lembrando por que fazemos o que fazemos. E com a unidade, a criatividade e a resiliência coletiva, não apenas sobreviveremos - lideramos o caminho a seguir. É um espaço para os profissionais de hospitalidade independentes se conectarem, aprenderem e compartilharem estratégias práticas para resiliência. Em tempos desafiadores, a comunidade é o nosso maior ativo.
These difficult times are asking more from us than ever before. But they’re also reminding us why we do what we do.
Independent hospitality isn’t just a business it’s a beating heart of culture, welcome, and warmth. And with unity, creativity, and collective resilience, we’ll not only survive—we’ll lead the way forward.
This is also why The Art of Hospitality, our upcoming initiative, is more important than ever. It’s a space for independent hospitality professionals to connect, learn, and share practical strategies for resilience. In challenging times, community is our greatest asset.
Get your tickets here and be apart of the movement – https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thehospitalityheroltd/1247488?
Source – https: //www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk
Fonte-Fonte- https: //mobi.hotelnewsresource.com/? P = 135850 & utm
Fonte-fonte-fonte- https: //www.thecaterer.com/news/dean-banks-cancels-plans-for-200-eat-restaurant-due-to-tax-rises? Utm
