As Brits face an impending cost of living crisis, Rishi Sunak prepares to set out a series of measures in his Spring Statement with the aim of mitigating the impact.
The Chancellor has faced criticism over a potential National Insurance rise that may result in some Brits having to choose between whether to heat or eat.
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Despite this, a proposed rise could well be unavoidable for the Government as Mr Sunak has cited the “unpalatable, unacceptable situation” of NHS waiting lists as a key factor in the decision on the BBC.
An exclusive poll ran by GB News on March 18 via Twitter shows unpopularity towards the policy, with 84.4 percent of voters saying the hike is not fair, and therefore should not be maintained.
In a poll of 1,490 respondents, 15.6 percent felt the rise should be maintained, representing a minority group of voters.
The Chancellor could be forced to act on the rise as a growing number of Brits face an increasing threat of living below the poverty line.
Mr Sunak and Prime Minister Boris Johnson have both been adamant in the past that a rise would not be delayed as the extra cash would be used to fund the care sector.
The Chancellor could decide to go ahead with the rise but offset it with a cut in income tax – although this would create fury among business leaders, with businesses having to match National Insurance payments by employees.
GB News poll results
GB News
An alternative to scrapping the planned national insurance rise could also be to shift the thresholds for when the payments are made. The Resolution Foundation has suggested the threshold is lifted from £9,568 to £12,500.
Tune in to Beat the Squeeze: Spring Statement Live from 11am on GB News with Liam Halligan and Gloria De Piero tomorrow as we bring you Rishi Sunak's statement and all the reaction.