National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pensions Contributions) Bill Committee: New Clause 5

Parliament voted on 21 January 2026 on New Clause 5 to the National Insurance Contributions (Employer Pension Contributions) Bill during its Committee stage. The new clause was defeated by 317 votes to 195. The Bill itself concerns a government proposal to cap the amount employees can salary-sacrifice into pension schemes free of National Insurance Contributions (NICs) at £2,000 per year, with the measure set to take effect from April 2029. New Clause 5 was part of a package of opposition amendments seeking to add protections or exemptions for employers and employees in relation to that cap. The vote matters because it determines the shape of a significant change to how workplace pension saving is taxed. Salary sacrifice is an arrangement where employees give up part of their gross salary in exchange for employer pension contributions, reducing the NICs liability for both the employer and employee. The government's cap would mean that contributions above £2,000 per year made through this mechanism become subject to NICs from 2029 onwards. The government argues the cost of the current uncapped arrangement was set to nearly treble, from roughly 2.8 billion pounds in 2017 to 8 billion pounds by 2030. Opponents argue the cap disproportionately affects middle earners, particularly those trying to catch up on pension saving, and could discourage retirement saving at a time when state pension finances are under pressure. The vote divided almost entirely along government-versus-opposition lines. Every Labour and Labour-Co-operative MP who voted did so against the new clause, while Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, the Democratic Unionist Party, Reform UK and the Traditional Unionist Voice all voted in favour. There were no notable cross-party rebellions. The Bill subsequently passed its later stages, and in March 2026 the government moved successfully to disagree with several Lords amendments, suggesting the measure is proceeding largely in its original form.