TAX reforms that came into force at the start of this month will help businesses across East Hampshire to invest more of their money into growing and taking on more staff.

East Hampshire’s Tory MP Damian Hinds pointed out that since April 6, employer National Insurance contributions for apprentices under 25 were abolished, which will save a business employing an apprentice on the national minimum wage more than £500 per year.

In addition, the employment allowance for all businesses and charities rose from April 6 from £2,000 to £3,000 so that a firm can employ up to four people full time on the new living wage and pay no employer National Insurance contributions at all.

Businesses will also benefit from a cut in capital gains tax – with the higher rate falling from 28 per cent to 20 per cent and the basic rate from 18 per cent to 10 per cent – ensuring they can access the capital they need to grow and create jobs.

Farmers across East Hampshire will also for the first time be able to average out the tax they pay on their profits from two to five years, helping them better manage potential fluctuations in income caused by a range of factors from global markets to weather conditions.

Mr Hinds also flagged up that, as from April 1, a range of other reforms began, including a further extension of the doubling of small business rates relief into 2016/17 and the freezing of fuel duty – “which will see small businesses with a van save £12 each time they fill their tank compared to the fuel escalator plans left behind by Labour”.

The Conservative MP?for Liphook and Grayshott said: “This is good news for businesses big and small across the area, making it easier for them to grow, create jobs and help train young people. And these changes are in addition to the tax reforms made to help working people, with the further increase in the personal allowance to £11,000 – taking an estimated 971 low earners in East Hampshire out of paying income tax altogether, and giving an income tax cut to more than 48,000 people across the constituency, as well as the introduction of the national living wage.

“There are also changes to help those on middle incomes with a rise in the higher rate threshold of tax to £43,000, and the new personal savings allowance that means the first £1,000 of interest a basic rate taxpayer earns on their savings will be tax free.”

He added: “This is a major package of reforms and will be a boost for business as well as make a real difference to take home pay for thousands of people across the area.”