4 August 2025, 10:21

By Ethan Diver

The heritage sector is a vital part of the national economy.

According to Historic England, it contributed an estimated £44.9 billion in Gross Value Added to the UK economy in 2022 and supported the employment of over 523,000 workers.

However, the recent increases to the National Living Wage (NLW) and employer’s National Insurance contributions (NICs) – which both came into effect in early April 2025 – have undoubtedly hit the sector hard.

Most notably, the National Trust has recently announced plans to cut around 550 jobs (6% of its workforce), citing “increased costs” which are outstripping its growth.

The announcement highlighted that the recent NLW and NIC........

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