Influence and Impact: Campaigning Work 

We have been involved in campaigning work, this year highlighting amongst other things the effect that tax changes will have on the sector as a whole, but particularly the People We Work For.  

The changes in eNics (Employers’ National Insurance Contributions) brings with it significant challenges for individuals managing their own budgets. To this end we launched a campaign called ‘Unintended Consequences’ to talk in understandable, tangible terms about the impact on real people. 

The figures are stark: C-Change estimate the changes will mean £183,000 of additional costs, and CCPS calculated it will amount to £30million for CCPS member organisations in 2025/26.   

These changes (National Insurance: What are NI and income tax and what do I pay? – BBC News) impact real people and real lives. We launched a campaign highlighting the  consequences and costs of this decision for people who rely on support to live their good lives. We looked at the impact on individuals, their families and those who love and care about them.  

For example ‘F’, who is autistic, has a learning disability and in his mid-twenties. The changes amount to a 3.7% cost added to his individual budget which is the equivalent of a reduction of 6.7 hours of support.   

The changes will ultimately mean, in order to balance budgets, there will be less money available for support. This support is not a luxury, it’s vital for people to live their lives and participate and contribute to their communities.   

We also wrote to political representatives and held drop-in sessions to support colleagues and People We Work For to write letters to their local and national representatives.  

The announcements around Employer’s National Insurance contributions represent a real and present threat for the not-for-profit and social care sector. Scotland’s non-for-profit social care sector employs one third of social care staff in Scotland and supports the 1 in 25 people who rely on social care each year.  

We have continued to use our voice, and also to amplify the voices of others, to show what this will mean for people managing their budgets and the real terms impact of changes in support for the people we work for, their families and loved ones.  

These decisions put huge pressure on already stretched individual budgets. We will continue to use our voice to preserve the dignity and opportunities of the People We Work For and  show that this decision will have damaging and lasting impacts on the sector, jobs, morale but most importantly, on people living their good lives who deserve better.